Joe Czeck Pleads Guilty To Incident Where Boulder Fell From Truck, Killed 2 Women

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A 34-year-old Hastings man has pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal vehicle homicide, after a fatal crash that killed two Shoreview women in the summer of 2018.

Joe Czeck was driving a commercial truck near Rich Valley Boulevard and 125th Street in Rosemount, when a 1,100 pound boulder fell from his truck bed and crashed into another vehicle.

67-year-old Karen Christiansen and her 32-year-old daughter Jena Christiansen suffered significant trauma in the impact and died at the scene.

Czeck continued to drive away.

An investigation revealed that he later pulled over after traveling nearly a mile and turning into a driveway. A witness who drove by said he saw Czeck strapping a large boulder down in the back of the truck.

A picture shows the truck shortly after the incident. (credit: Rosemount Police)

Surveillance video prior to the crash showed the truck carrying unstrapped boulders.

Czeck was the owner of Czeck Services, a landscaping company. His sentencing has been set for January 17, 2020.