Evanston resident charged in fatal Minnesota car crash

Paige Leskin, Managing Editor

Police charged a 21-year-old Evanston resident last week in connection with careless driving following a crash in Minnesota last year that killed three college students.

Police say William Sparks endangered passengers when he did not slow his car to maintain control in icy conditions in the February 2014 crash, according to documents from the Dakota County District Court. Sparks was charged with the misdemeanor offense Friday, the Star-Tribune reported.

Sparks, a student at Carleton College in Minnesota, was driving on a highway near Carleton’s campus around 3 p.m. Feb. 28, 2014, when he lost control of the car, veering into oncoming traffic and hitting a semi truck, according to court documents. Three of the four passengers in the car — who were all Carleton students — were killed.

An investigation by the Minnesota State Patrol revealed Sparks failed to reduce driving speed to compensate for weather conditions, which had covered the roads with packed snow and ice, the documents said.

Sparks could face up to 90 days in jail and receive a fine of up to $1,000.

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Twitter: @paigeleskin