Pine Island Man Sentenced in Deadly Highway 14 Crash

Winona, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Pine Island man has been sentenced to probation following his conviction on charges stemming from a deadly head-on collision several years ago.

Court records indicate that 23-year-old Eric Arthur Wittlief was severely injured in the crash on Highway 14 in an area known as “Seminary Hill” near Winona on the afternoon of August 5, 2021. A passenger in the other vehicle involved in the crash, 58-year-old Crist Brown, was killed, and his wife, who was driving, suffered life-threatening injuries.

Charges Filed for Years After the Crash

A criminal complaint was filed against  Wittlief  in April of last year after a State Patrol reconstruction investigation determined that distracted driving was a contributing factor in the crash. He was accused of using Facebook Messenger and Snapchat to send and receive messages on his cellphone around the time the crash occurred and was initially charged with a single count of criminal vehicular homicide.

READ MORE: Pine Island Man Accused of Causing Fatal Crash While Messaging

Getty Images

Distracted by Cell Phone

The court document states that much of the evidence against the Pine Island man was obtained through a forensic examination of his cellphone. The criminal complaint also describes how state troopers who responded to the fatal crash noticed that  Wittlief ’s phone vibrated several times and that the screen displayed an instant messaging conversation between him and someone working at a company in Wisconsin.

Plea Deal Removes Felony Charge

 Wittlief  entered into a plea agreement last month and pleaded guilty to gross misdemeanor counts of reckless and careless driving in exchange for the dismissal of the felony charge. The plea agreement indicates that he admitted his vehicle crossed the center line on the highway and caused the deadly collision. It also states that  Wittlief  does not recall the events due to a traumatic brain injury suffered in the crash, but he has no reason to dispute that he was using his phone at the time.

Get our free mobile app

He has been ordered to serve one year of probation. The sentencing order also includes a stayed 90-day jail sentence that could be imposed if he fails to meet the terms of his probation.