MOORHEAD – An arrest warrant on criminal vehicular homicide charges has been issued for an Anderson, Ind., man who prosecutors say admitted smoking methamphetamines before driving his car into the back of the semi ahead of him on Interstate 94 near Barnesville early Sunday morning , killing one of his passengers.
Criminal charges filed Tuesday in Clay County District Court against Derrick Eugene Pierce, 23, accuse Pierce of two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and two counts of criminal vehicular operation, both felonies.
The criminal complaint says a Minnesota State Patrol trooper called to the scene of the crash at milepost 21 found that fire and rescue workers were trying to help the driver and the rear-seat passenger, while the front-seat passenger appeared to be dead.
Pierce and the back-seat passenger were taken to Sanford Medical Center in Fargo – Pierce for minor injuries and the passenger, Ashley Callahan, 24, of Anderson, for spinal cord and other injuries. The other passenger, 30-year-old David T. Hinkle, of Anderson was pronounced dead at the scene, State Patrol officials said.
The criminal complaint says the trooper interviewed Pierce at the hospital and Pierce admitted he was the one driving the car and that he smoked methamphetamines the day before.
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Pierce didn't recall anything about the crash and thought he might have fallen asleep, the complaint says.
A search of the car revealed small plastic baggies with what turned out to be methamphetamines inside.
Pierce's next court appearance has not yet been set.
