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Truck Driver Who Watched Porn On Cellphone Before Fatal Crash Sentenced To 4+ Years

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) -- A 48-year-old St. Paul Park man has been sentenced to four years and four months in prison for causing a crash that killed a highway worker in October 2018.

Tate Doom was accused of watching pornographic videos before the crash that killed a highway worker standing along Interstate 94 in Rogers.

According to the complaint, Doom's semi rear-ended a pickup and trailer merging to the left. The trailer struck 59-year-old Vernon Hedquist of Pillagers while flying debris hit a co-worker. Hedquist was killed in the crash.

Troopers seized two cellphones from Doom's semi. Authorities recovered deleted files from a pornographic website. He was then charged in Hennepin County with criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular operation.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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