Charges: Drunken Driver Caused Halloween Crash That Left 1 In A Coma

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 34-year-old Minneapolis woman is accused of causing a Halloween crash in West St. Paul that left one victim in a coma with a severe brain injury.

According to charges filed in Dakota County, Latoya Williams faces one felony count of criminal vehicular operating resulting in great bodily harm. She also faces criminal vehicular operation resulting in bodily harm and third-degree DWI – both gross misdemeanors – in connection to the Oct. 31, 2015 incident.

The criminal complaint says Williams drove a minivan through a stop sign at a West St. Paul intersection at a high rate of speed and struck another vehicle. When officers spoke with her, they could smell alcohol coming from her, the complaint said.

Authorities say it was later determined that her alcohol concentration was 0.318.

The male driver of the other car suffered a severe brain injury, skull fractures and was put in a medically-induced coma for one week. His current condition is not known at this time. A rear passenger of the victim vehicle also suffered minor injuries, including scrapes and bruises.

Williams has previously been convicted of a DWI offense on March 24, 2008.

If convicted, she faces up to five years in prison for her felony charge and one year for each gross misdemeanor charge.