A Minnesota woman accused of causing a fatal head-on crash that killed an 82-year-old woman told investigators her dog grabbed the steering wheel before the collision, according to court records.
Shauna Rae Dokken, 43, was charged Monday in Roseau County District Court with criminal vehicular homicide while operating a motor vehicle in a grossly negligent manner.
The charge stems from a June 27 crash on Minnesota Highway 11 that left Barbara Lee Welberg, 82, dead.
According to a criminal complaint, multiple motorists reported Dokken driving erratically before the crash. One witness told investigators he called 911 and attempted to follow Dokken’s pickup after seeing it cross completely into oncoming traffic.
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Authorities allege Dokken’s Ford F-250 later crossed the center line and collided head-on with Welberg’s Kia Sorento. Welberg was pronounced dead at the scene. Dokken was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Investigators said Dokken gave varying accounts of what led to the crash. According to the complaint, she told investigators at one point that her dog interfered with the vehicle and grabbed the steering wheel before the collision.
Troopers responding to the crash also noted that Dokken appeared to have slurred speech, according to court records.
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The complaint states that Dokken told investigators she had taken prescription medications that day, including Buspar, lorazepam and Adderall. She denied consuming alcohol, and a preliminary breath test registered 0.00, according to the complaint.
Authorities later obtained a search warrant for a blood sample, which was sent to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for analysis.
The investigation remains ongoing pending laboratory testing, according to the Roseau County Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors said additional charges could be filed depending on the results of the analysis.
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Court records also cite statements from Dokken’s significant other, who told investigators she had previously misused prescription medications.
The allegations outlined in the complaint have not been proven in court.
Dokken remained in custody Monday after a detention order was signed by Roseau County District Judge Tamara Yon.
A representative for the Roseau County Attorney’s Office told Fox News Digital all criminal defendants are accompanied by a public defender at their initial court appearance, but it was not immediately clear whether Dokken would continue to be represented by a public defender or retain private counsel.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Minnesota State Patrol for additional information. The Roseau County Attorney’s Office confirmed the investigation remains ongoing pending testing and said additional charges could result depending on the findings.
