Crime & Safety

Woman Pleads Guilty In Fatal Dakota County Crash

The driver — who admitted to being on the phone during the crash — said she did not see the stop sign before the collision.

DAKOTA COUNTY, MN — A woman pled guilty Monday to reckless and careless driving in a fatal Dakota County crash. Lori Janine Hoefs, 57, of Oronoco, admitted she was on the phone and did not see the stop sign before the Oct. 22, 2016 collision.

The crash — which happened at Highway 56 and County Road 88 in Randolph Township — killed Brenda Travis, 78, of Rochester and caused serious injuries to three others.

Hoefs was driving westbound on County Road 88. She ran the stop sign and crashed into a Toyota going northbound on Highway 56.

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Brenda Travis was a passenger in the front seat of the Toyota. The Toyota driver sustained broken ribs and a broken pelvis.

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