Woman On Phone Blew Stop Sign In Fatal Dakota Co. Crash: Cops

Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom announced Monday that Lori Janine Hoefs, 56, of Oronoco was charged with criminal vehicular homicide in connection with a fatal crash that occurred on Oct. 22, 2016.

The collision killed Brenda Travis, 78, of Rochester and caused serious injuries to three others.

Around 10:20 a.m. on Oct. 22, law enforcement responded to a crash at Highway 56 and County Road 88 in Randolph Township.

Hoefs was driving westbound on County Road 88. She said she was unfamiliar with the area and did not see the stop sign, according to the criminal complaint.

Hoefs ran the stop sign and crashed into the Toyota going northbound on Highway 56, which Brenda Travis was a passenger of, police said.

The driver sustained broken ribs and a broken pelvis. Hoefs admitted to being on her phone at the time she ran the stop sign, according to authorities.

"This appears to be another example of distracted driving that tragically took another life and caused serious injuries on our roads," Backstrom said in a statement.

Read the entire criminal complaint below:

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