A Cass County judge recently approved a defense request to allow the man who pleaded guilty in a triple fatal car crash in which he was under the influence of alcohol the ability to leave Minnesota for a family trip to Panama City Beach, Florida, court records show.

“When they said he got to go on vacation, it was like, ’Why don’t you just slap us in the face,’” said Steve Peterson, who lost his 37-year-old son Corey Peterson in the crash. “It’s just terrible.”

Peterson said he recently received a letter notifying him about the defendant’s travel request.

The defendant — 33-year-old Kyle Jones of Bayport — pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal vehicular homicide.

Crash investigators reported Jones’ was driving a Ford F150 truck west on 24 Street Southwest in rural Pine River. The victims’ Pontiac G6 was traveling eastbound around 12:25 a.m. on May 5, 2024.

A crash reconstruction investigation determined that the head-on collision happened when Jones’ F150 crossed into the eastbound lanes, according to court papers.

Jones was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, according to court filings.

He is out on bail as the case proceeds.

The terms of Jones’ bail limited his travel ability and required written court approval if he wanted to leave.

In court filings, Jones’ lawyer told the court they’d provide the judge and prosecutors with a list of people their client would be traveling with and the address of the places the family would stay this week in Florida.

Cass County Attorney Ben Lindstrom told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS, “My position was one of not having any real legal basis to object.”

“Nothing that happens in this case can fix the damage caused,” Lindstrom said. “Unfortunately, the prosecution processes up to sentencing are very focused on the defendant and protecting his rights. Victims have every right to be frustrated with that process.”

Lindstrom added, “Fortunately, sentencing is the time when victims have the right to play an active role in a prosecution because they have the right to give a victim impact statement to the Court.”

Jones’ sentencing in the triple fatal car crash is set for mid-April in Cass County Court.