Driver Pleads Guilty In Crash That Killed U Of MN Pediatrician

ST. PAUL, MN — A 36-year-old St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to his role in a crash that killed a University of Minnesota pediatrician on Hamline Avenue.

Norman D. Toney pleaded guilty last week to criminal vehicular homicide in the November 2021 collision that left Dr. Daniel Schnobrich dead.

According to his guilty plea, Toney hears voices and is taking antipsychotic medication. He is currently in Hennepin County custody and faces up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

Toney's sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 29.

Just after 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 9, 2021, a Roseville police officer was on patrol when he saw a dark sedan weaving in and out of traffic and driving in an "aggressive manner at a very high rate of speed" on Snelling Avenue near County Road C, according to the criminal complaint.

The officer came within half a block of the sedan in an unmarked squad by going 95 mph, according to police.

The officer activated the squad’s lights, but the sedan driver shut off his lights and sped away, investigators said.

The officer lost sight of the sedan on where Snelling Avenue turns into Hamline Avenue. At about 8:40 p.m., Ramsey County deputies responded to the intersection of Highway 96 West and Hamline Avenue on a "catastrophic" crash about a mile away.

At the scene, deputies found Toyota Camry with its driver’s door sheared off and its engine block hanging out of the passenger side of the car.

The driver was a pediatrician on the way to work, later identified as Dr. Schnobrich.

A deputy spotted Toney sprinting away from the intersection towards a pond, according to police. Toney refused to comply with orders and was tackled, the criminal complaint states.

Witnesses described Toney as being high or under the influence, police said. Toney kept running back and forth from a pond to the Camry, according to investigators.

One witness said she was on Hamline Avenue when she saw a black car driving fast, heading north toward Highway 96. The witness reported hearing a loud boom and saw a flash of flames.

Authorities located Toney's Cadillac SRX completely submerged brown and resting on its roof in the pond. When the Cadillac was towed out of the water, its speedometer was stuck at 103 mph, investigators said.

Dr. Schnobrich and Toney were transported to Regions Hospital. Schnobrich was pronounced dead hours later while Toney was treated for minor injuries.

Toney has prior felony convictions, including for first-degree burglary, police said.