Charges: Driver drank 4 shooters of vodka before crash that killed woman in White Bear Township

A driver accused of striking and killing a 72-year-old woman Thursday afternoon in White Bear Township had consumed four shooter bottles of vodka shortly before the crash, investigators say.

Court documents filed in Ramsey County on Friday show Christopher Ronald Olson, 46, is charged with three separate counts of criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the hit-and-run crash. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.

According to a criminal complaint, around 4:22 p.m., the victim was crossing White Bear Parkway at Birch Lake Boulevard via a “clearly marked crosswalk,” and multiple cars had stopped for her. A Kia Telluride then went through the intersection without slowing down and struck the woman. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

About 20 minutes later, Olson showed up at the White Bear Lake Police Department with his mother to turn himself in. He admitted to driving the Telluride and hitting the woman, the complaint states.

Olson allegedly smelled of alcohol and showed signs of impairment, so officers performed field tests. When asked to stand on one leg, he said, “I’m sorry, I can’t do that,” and admitted, “I’ve had something to drink.” A breathalyzer recorded his blood alcohol concentration at 0.154, nearly twice the legal limit.

In an interview with police, Olson said he drank four shooter bottles of vodka after work. At the time of the crash, he said his car was set to cruise at 40 mph and that he didn’t see the pedestrian because he wasn’t paying attention, charging documents state.

After he hit the woman, Olson “panicked” and drove to see his mother, who convinced him to turn himself in.

Olson was scheduled to make his first court appearance Friday afternoon.