Man recieves 60 days in jail for hit-and-run crash that hospitalized a toddler

A man found guilty of hitting a toddler with his car and fleeing the scene was sentenced Thursday to 60 days in the Steele County jail.

Scott Pfeifer pleaded guilty to felony criminal vehicular operation for causing substantial bodily harm and gross misdemeanor criminal vehicular operation for causing body harm and leaving the scene.

At the sentencing, Pfeifer was given a stay of imposition, meaning that if he serves a two-year probation period without incident, his convictions would be reduced to lower levels.

Pfeifer was arrested back in May of 2024 when Owatonna police tracked him down using security video from a car wash taken minutes after a hit-and-run crash.

In that crash, Anastasia Westphall, a toddler two months away from her second birthday, was in the arms of a family friend crossing the street at the intersection of Rose Street and Oak Avenue in Owatonna.

While crossing, the two were hit by a vehicle, which drove away.

The toddler suffered multiple injuries, including fractures and a concussion, along with lots of scrapes and bruises.

Police said Pfeifer made a “spontaneous utterance” during his arrest, stating, “I didn’t know I hit a person,” according to the court records.

He also allegedly told police “… he thought it was trash being thrown at his vehicle and not that he hit people.”