Rosemount man charged after fatal hit-and-run

(Rach's note: Joan LeVasseur was her very close personal friend for over 20 years and was like sisters)

Rosemount man charged after fatal hit-and-run

By KATIE HUMPHREY, Star Tribune

Last update: July 31, 2009 - 5:51 PM

A Rosemount man has been charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor in connection
with the March hit-and-run accident in Apple Valley that led to 26-year-old Joan LeVasseur's death.

Eric James Hunter, 40, was booked into the Dakota County Jail today, charged with two counts of leaving the scene of an accident involving a death and one count of driving after suspension.

LeVasseur, engaged to be married, was walking to Cub Foods when she was struck March 6 in the crosswalk on Cedar Avenue near 153rd Street. She died about a week later after her family removed her from life support at Hennepin County Medical Center.

According to the complaint outlining charges against Hunter, witnesses reported that LeVasseur, who was deaf, was crossing the street against the traffic signal that was displaying a "Do Not Cross" light.

Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said that factored into the decision to charge Hunter with leaving the scene of a fatal accident instead of the more serious criminal vehicular homicide because pedestrians must obey traffic signals.

"If someone who causes a motor vehicle accident resulting in death flees the scene, the crime of Criminal Vehicular Homicide is committed," Backstrom said. "However, based upon the accident reconstruction completed in this instance, the accident appears to have been caused by the victim crossing the street against a red light."

Hunter has been at large since the accident, though police tracked down his 2003 Ford Focus with damage to the right front area, the hood and the windshield on March 11. A sample of blood collected from the car was analyzed by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and determined to be that of LeVasseur.

According to the criminal complaint, Hunter's coworkers had seen his damaged car. While working an overnight shift from March 6 to March 7, Hunter told one colleague that the damage was from an accident with a semitrailer truck in Lakeville.

A few days later, after hearing that LeVasseur was to be taken off life support, Hunter confessed to a coworker that he had hit her, saying he didn't see her and that it was dark.

An accident reconstruction by the Minnesota State Patrol found that Hunter's car was going between 39 mph and 46 mph at the time of the collision. The speed limit in that area of Cedar Avenue is 45 mph. The State Oatrol also concluded that one of the main factors in the crash was that LeVasseur failed to obey the stoplight.

Hunter's bail has been set at $80,000 without conditions and $40,000 with conditions. His next court appearance will be Sept. 21.

Katie Humphrey • 612-882-9056