UMVA has learned that a 43-year-old Minnesota woman, Shauna Rae Dokken, has been charged with criminal vehicular homicide after a fatal head-on crash that claimed the life of an 82-year-old woman, Barbara Lee Welberg.
The devastating crash occurred on June 27 on Minnesota Highway 11, when Dokken's Ford F-250 crossed the center line and collided head-on with Welberg's Kia Sorento, leaving Welberg dead at the scene.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Dokken has provided investigators with a bizarre account of what led to the crash, claiming that her dog grabbed the steering wheel before the collision.
However, court records reveal that Dokken gave varying accounts of the incident, and investigators noted that she appeared to have slurred speech at the scene, raising suspicions about her state of mind and potential impairment.
It is alleged that Dokken had taken prescription medications that day, including Buspar, lorazepam, and Adderall, and denied consuming alcohol, with a preliminary breath test registering 0.00.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that authorities have obtained a search warrant for a blood sample, which was sent to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for analysis, and additional charges could be filed pending the results.
The investigation remains ongoing, with prosecutors working to piece together the events leading up to the crash, and court records cite statements from Dokken's significant other, who told investigators she had previously misused prescription medications.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Dokken has been detained and appeared in court, accompanied by a public defender, but it is unclear whether she will continue to be represented by a public defender or retain private counsel.
