North Dakota man charged in DUI crash that killed sugar beet leader recently won county commission seat

GRAFTON, N.D. —

A Grafton man

accused of driving drunk and killing an govt of a Pink River Valley sugar beet group was not too long ago elected to the Walsh County Fee in northeast North Dakota.

Christopher Ryan Thompson, 46, was one among three candidates elected Nov. 8 to the county board, based on unofficial outcomes.

Simply days after the election, he was the driving force of a 2022 GMC Yukon when it hit a tree Saturday evening, Nov. 12, about 4 miles east of Edinburg, North Dakota, based on the North Dakota Freeway Patrol.

The crash killed 48-year-old Jason Schatzke of Wheatland, North Dakota. Schatzke was treasurer of the Pink River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Affiliation.

Six folks, together with Schatzke and Thompson, have been within the automobile on the time of the crash. Schatzke was the one individual within the automobile who didn’t have a seat belt on, the Freeway Patrol stated. Passenger Rodney Olson, 57, of Halstad, Minnesota, suffered minor accidents.

Thompson was arrested and booked into the Walsh County Jail. He was charged Monday in Walsh County District Court docket with driving below the affect vehicular murder and inflicting an damage whereas driving below the affect, each felonies.

He faces a most of 25 years in jail if convicted of each costs.

Thompson was launched from jail Monday after posting a $5,000 money bond. He declined to remark for this story.

Walsh County District Choose Barbara Whelan has recused herself from the case. Choose Kari Agotness, who relies in Pembina County, will take over.

Walsh County State’s Legal professional Kelley Riley Cole declined touch upon the case, however she advised The Discussion board she plans to ask one other legal professional to prosecute the case since she is aware of Thompson.

Harrison Weber, govt director of the Pink River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Affiliation, additionally declined to remark out of respect for Schatzke and others concerned within the crash. His group represents roughly 2,700 sugar beet growers in North Dakota and Minnesota who cooperatively personal American Crystal Sugar Co.

With 17.65% of the vote, Thompson took third in a discipline of six candidates within the race for 3 Walsh County Fee seats. He was a newcomer within the race.

Commissioner Dennis Skorheim grabbed probably the most votes with 20.85%, adopted in second by challenger Amy Suda with 18.17%.

The three beat out incumbents Ernie Barta (16.98%) and Lawrence Burianek (16.58%). Challenger Bart Swanson took final with 9.48%.

The outcomes haven’t been finalized. Thompson has 58 extra votes than Barta and 93 greater than Burianek.

Barta declined to touch upon this story because the election hasn’t been canvassed. A message left for Burianek, who additionally serves because the fee chair, was not returned Tuesday.

If the outcomes stand, Thompson, Skorheim and Suda would be part of Commissioners Karen Anderson and Kristi Brintnell on the Walsh County Fee for its first assembly on Dec. 6. North Dakota regulation doesn’t forestall a resident from serving on a county fee if they’re convicted of a felony, North Dakota Affiliation of Counties Government Director Aaron Birst stated.

If Thompson doesn’t resign, the fee or residents of Walsh County might ask for a recall election to take away him from workplace, Birst stated. Gov. Doug Burgum additionally might take away Thompson from his seat if the governor finds he was “responsible of misconduct, malfeasance, crime in workplace, neglect of responsibility in workplace, or of ordinary substance abuse or gross incompetency,” based on North Dakota regulation.

If Thompson resigns or is faraway from workplace, the Walsh County Fee would then appoint his substitute. That successor would maintain the workplace till the following normal election in 2024.

Riley Cole stated it’s too early to touch upon whether or not a recall election can be needed because the normal election outcomes haven’t been finalized.

Thompson’s legal professional, Todd Burianek, stated he and his shopper haven’t mentioned Thompson’s determination on whether or not he’ll preserve his fee seat.

“It’s a horrible scenario for everyone,” Todd Burianek stated of the crash. “One in every of Chris’ greatest buddies died, and he feels terrible about it.”

Thompson is also the vp for the Minnesota and North Dakota Sugarbeet and Schooling Board, a gaggle of sugar beet farmers who promote analysis, schooling and sugar beet manufacturing.

Eric Erdman, who serves because the president of the Sugarbeet Analysis and Schooling Board, didn’t return a message left by The Discussion board.