A Cook dinner County jury apparently understood why Rodney Ernest left the scene of a crash that killed his buddy within the distant woods alongside Minnesota’s North Shore.
“He was in the midst of nowhere. There is not any cellphone protection,” mentioned Samuel Edmunds, one in all two attorneys who defended Ernest in a six-day trial ending this week.
The accident occurred so deep within the woods, Edmunds added, that there have been no houses or companies inside miles and little hope of assist from a passing motorist.
“That wasn’t exhausting for the jury to grasp. We had a Cook dinner County jury. They perceive this stuff,” he mentioned.
The jury took solely two hours to seek out the 37-year-old Ernest not responsible of three counts of vehicular murder. Along with leaving the scene, he was charged with murder for being drunk and for driving recklessly within the crash that killed his buddy, Invoice Evans Jr. of Litchfield, Minn.
It was a tall order for Edmunds and his co-counsel, Dea Cortney — particularly as a result of Ernest had led police on a 40-minute chase early on the morning of Nov. 7, 2020, earlier than shedding them on grime roads within the woods close to the border of Cook dinner and Lake counties. However Edmunds mentioned Ernest was capable of supply explanations for all his actions that had been convincing to the jury.
Ernest, a industrial logging truck operator, admitted he’d had a couple of beers on the Lounge in Silver Bay, Minn. When a sheriff’s deputy tried to drag him over on U.S. Hwy. 61, he panicked, despite the fact that he wasn’t drunk, Edmunds mentioned.
Underneath Minnesota regulation, a industrial driver can lose his license if he is discovered to have a blood alcohol content material of .04% or greater — half the extent for a traditional driver. However that is solely whereas really driving a industrial automobile, Edmunds mentioned. Ernest did not understand that and was frightened that, whereas not drunk, he might exceed that restrict, Edmunds mentioned.
“He informed the jury he is aware of he made a mistake [in fleeing the officer],” Edmunds mentioned.
Testimony from the bartender who served Ernest, together with different patrons, satisfied the jury that no person thought Ernest appeared drunk. And a blood alcohol check taken hours after the accident confirmed zero alcohol, Edmunds mentioned.
A state accident reconstructionist submitted a report estimating that Ernest was driving between 50 and 60 mph on the time of the crash, however later revised it to a variety of 41 to 50 mph. As a result of the velocity restrict the place the crash came about was 55 mph, Edmunds mentioned, the jury concluded that Ernest wasn’t driving recklessly.
After the crash, along with his buddy mendacity unconscious or useless, Ernest determined his solely probability was to stroll for assist. He set out and coated greater than 6 miles earlier than an early-morning hunter picked him up, Edmunds mentioned. The hunter took Ernest to the house of a buddy in Finland, Minn., the place he referred to as his spouse and informed her to telephone 911.
Edmunds mentioned his shopper is “a great upstanding man and did not do what they alleged. I believe the jury was satisfied that this was only a fluke accident. It is a tragic state of affairs.”
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ANN ARBOR — The Golden Gophers will return to Minnesota with at least one less football than they brought to Ann Arbor. Michigan’s Jyaire Hill intercepted a pass during the Wolverines’ 27-24 win on Saturday and decided to keep it for good.
“This the ball right here,” Hill said, placing it on a table during a postgame press conference. It was one of two turnovers Michigan caused in the win, both the result of impressive individual plays.
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Michigan tight end Colston Loveland is expected to play in Saturday’s game against Minnesota after he was not listed on the team’s official availability report prior to kickoff.
Loveland exited Michigan’s victory against Arkansas State with what the team called an injury to his shoulder, but since then has improved to the point where he will be available.
Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore said that Loveland could have played last week against USC, but elected to be more cautious and give him time to recover.
The junior tight end has enjoyed a career start to the 2024 football season, catching 19 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown, and his 8 receptions in each of the first two games was a personal-best.
Loveland’s return would be highly beneficial for a Michigan passing offense that has struggled to generate momentum, and threw for just 32 yards in its win against the Trojans last weekend.
Defensive back Will Johnson and defensive end Josaiah Stewart were among four players Michigan designated as questionable for the game.
Nine players were listed as out, including defensive back Rod Moore, linebacker Micah Pollard, and running back Jordan Marshall.
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Sherrone Moore describes locker room energy after Michigan beat USC
Michigan football head coach Sherrone Moore explained his team’s energy in the locker room after a big win over USC. Michigan defeated USC, 27-24.
The No. 12 Michigan Wolverines are set for their second Big Ten Conference matchup of the season as the Minnesota Golden Gophers visit Ann Arbor today for a noon kickoff.
After trailing by four points, a 63-yard rush by fifth-year running back Kalel Mullings was the key play that led the Wolverines to a 27-24 comeback victory over USC last week. Mullings led the team with 159 yards on 17 carries and had two touchdowns.
In his first start at quarterback, junior Alex Orji went 7-for-12 passing for a paltry 32 yards against the Trojans, and was sacked twice. He rushed for 43 yards on 13 carries.
The Wolverines are currently on 23-game winning streak against Big Ten opponents in the regular season. Today’s matchup will also serve as the 99th Little Brown Jug game.
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Here’s Michigan vs. Minnesota game info and everything you need to know:
THE GAME: Michigan prediction, scouting report vs. Minnesota in battle for Little Brown Jug
The Michigan vs. Minnesota game starts at noon from the Big House, Michigan Stadium, in Ann Arbor.
Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press: The Wolverines have blown out mid-level Big Ten teams like Minnesota a lot in recent years, but without a solid passing game it’s hard to see them pulling away, unless it happens late. The Gophers have the better pass game, and U-M has been susceptible to giving up yards when the opponent’s QB gets the ball out quickly. But if Minnesota doesn’t establish its own run game on its end, the Wolverines’ front four of Josaiah Stewart, Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant and Derrick Moore could feast on a one-dimensional offense. Michigan will look to wear it down Minnesota in the same way Iowa did a week ago. The pick: Michigan 20, Minnesota 12.
Odds provided by BetMGM as of Friday night.
See Michigan ticket prices for every 2024 game
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