A 21-year-old man was charged Tuesday with failing to stay at the scene after he allegedly drove over and killed a passenger who jumped out of the back of his pickup truck.
Joseph Wesley Schneider of Annandale faces two felonies in Wright County District Court for alleged failure to notify police of a death and not remaining at the scene as the driver.
Officers responded just after 1:30 a.m. Saturday to the crash near Camp Friendship about 6 miles north of Annandale on NW. 108th Street, just north of Clearwater Lake.
Alexander J. Hilsgen, 24, of Clearwater was found and pronounced dead at the scene with "significant trauma from his head to his pelvis," according to the criminal complaint.
A group of counselors from Camp Friendship were drinking at the Rendezvous Bar & Grill in Annandale earlier that night, when Schneider gave them a ride back. Hilsgen was not a counselor but tagged along. He sat in the bed of the pickup along with six others, the charges say.
Hilsgen's hat blew away while they were driving, and a witness said Hilsgen jumped out of the moving truck to try and get it.
Surveillance footage from the camp allegedly shows Schneider driving over Hilsgen, according to the complaint.
"A loud bang is heard on the video and the lights from a white truck change direction," the charges state.
Schneider did not respond to requests for comment on social media.
After the truck enters the parking lot, the footage allegedly shows Schneider get out and run toward the road where the accident happened, before running back to the truck and driving away.
Police identified Schneider as a suspect and went to his residence to find him. Schneider allegedly told police he recalled having three mixed drinks at the bar. He denied hitting anyone with his vehicle.
He was arrested and taken to jail before receiving a conditional release Tuesday, records show. His next court appearance is Aug. 25.
Schneider's driving history in Minnesota includes nine convictions for speeding in the past three years, court records show.
