A detective with the Anoka County Sheriff's Office was jailed Friday morning on suspicion of probable-cause criminal vehicular operation after he fled the scene of a midnight crash in East Bethel that left his wife with serious injuries, authorities said.
Anoka County deputies responded to the scene of the rollover crash at Hwy. 65 and 187th Lane NE. just before 12:30 a.m. Friday. The State Patrol was called to take over the investigation when officers realized that the crash involved a colleague.
Troopers determined that Patrick O'Hara, 45, of Isanti, had been driving and left on foot before police arrived. His wife, Christina O'Hara, 51, was taken to the University of Minnesota Medical Center with serious injuries.
Both were wearing seat belts when their Jeep drifted off the road and rolled.
Around 7 a.m., authorities found Patrick O'Hara at the hospital, where he was arrested and booked into the Hennepin County jail. He was released from custody that afternoon, pending charges.
O'Hara is a veteran detective in the sheriff's investigations unit. He has a previous DWI conviction from 1995, but appears to have kept a clean record since.
LIZ SAWYER
