Man pleads guilty to charges stemming from fatal St. Paul crash, will be sentenced in January

Court records show a man who was charged following a crash earlier this year that involved a stolen vehicle and killed a Robbinsdale woman has entered guilty pleas to all four charges.

According to court documents, 31-year-old Michael Anthony Bruce pleaded guilty to the following charges on Oct. 12:

• Criminal Vehicular Homicide – Operating a Motor Vehicle in a Negligent Manner,
• Criminal Vehicular Homicide – Operating a Vehicle with Negligence under the Influence of a Controlled Substance,
• Fleeing Police in a Motor Vehicle that Resulted in Death,
• Theft – Taking/Driving a Vehicle without Owner’s Consent.

A pre-trial hearing was previously scheduled to begin next week, and a sentencing hearing for Bruce is currently scheduled for the afternoon of Jan. 11.

As previously reported, troopers found a vehicle traveling between 76 and 86 mph on eastbound Interstate 94 near Pascal Street on Jan. 4 and discovered the car was reported stolen the day before. The car then headed south on Highway 61 and began driving “erratically, slowed and nearly stopped” but then hit the back of a trooper’s squad car before accelerating to 100 mph, according to the criminal complaint.

The driver then exited onto Bailey Road and hit a concrete wall while traveling between 50 and 60 mph. Troopers arrested Bruce when he got out, and he told them he had taken heroin, court documents state.

A passenger in the back seat, identified as 54-year-old Brenda Schaaf of Robbinsdale, was found injured. She later died from her injuries.

A woman who was in the front seat was also arrested due to multiple warrants out for her arrest. She and Bruce were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Regions Hospital.

Troopers say they found drugs, needles and more while searching the vehicle.