Man receives stayed sentence of 1 year in jail, 10 years of probation for fatal pedestrian crash

A man accused of killing a Moose Lake man with his vehicle was sentenced on Monday to a stayed sentence of one year in jail and a decade of probation.

Brent Keranen, 22, was convicted of criminal vehicular homicide while under the influence of cannabis/hemp, after he reportedly hit and killed 61-year-old Justin McNeil, who was walking along the northbound shoulder of Highway 73 on March 21, 2024.

Keranen was sentenced to two years in prison, which was stayed for one year of jail time in Carlton County and ten years of probation. He will receive credit for two days served and have to pay over $1,500 in fines and fees.

Three other charges Keranen had been facing were also dismissed.

As previously reported by 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS, the crash happened around 2 p.m. in an area near Highway 73 and Jon Brown Drive in Carlton County. The criminal complaint says Keranen’s vehicle left the lane and hit McNeil, who died at the scene.

Keranen had already gotten into vehicle trouble earlier that same day, hitting a State Patrol vehicle after falling asleep at the wheel. He reportedly had been up late the night before, drinking alcoholic beverages with friends after working long hours and was driving back home from his shift. Keranen received a citation for the initial incident, stopped to buy an energy drink, and continued to drive.

The complaint says Keranen told police his airbags went off after he was playing “air guitar” to a song that came on the radio. It goes on to add that he told police his cruise control was set to 52 in a posted 40 mph speed zone.

A field sobriety test was done, and a breath test showed his BAC level was at 0.06.