MN man racks up felonies in head-on Prescott crash

Staff report
Posted 7/13/23

A Minnesota man is facing multiple felonies after rear-ending a Pierce County Highway Department truck and hitting another vehicle head-on in March on the Prescott bridge.

Nicholas Jon Barry, …

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MN man racks up felonies in head-on Prescott crash

Posted

A Minnesota man is facing multiple felonies after rear-ending a Pierce County Highway Department truck and hitting another vehicle head-on in March on the Prescott bridge.

Nicholas Jon Barry, 32, St. Paul (formerly of Red Wing, Minn.) posted a $25,000 signature bond June 26 on felony OWI-fifth, felony operating with PAC-fifth, felony OWI cause injury (second+) and felony PAC cause injury (second+) charges in Pierce County Circuit Court. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and/or up to $25,000 in fines.

According to the complaint:

At 10:09 a.m. Friday, March 31 Pierce County deputies, Prescott police and fire departments and Allina EMS responded to the Highway 10 Prescott bridge for a head-on crash. A Lincoln Navigator heading westbound toward Minnesota had been struck head-on by a Ford Escape, driven by Barry.

A witness said Barry rear-ended a Pierce County Highway Department truck that was parked on the bridge facing westbound with its hazard lights flashing. Barry’s Ford then careened into the oncoming lane where it struck the Navigator head-on.

Citizens tended to the Navigator’s operator, who was able to stand outside the vehicle, while police cut an airbag to open Barry’s door. He smelled highly of intoxicants and was mumbling illegibly and moaning. EMS transported him to United Hospital in Hastings, Minn. The Navigator’s driver was also transported to a hospital with undisclosed injuries. Two Pierce County Highway workers were not in their vehicle at the time it was struck and suffered no injuries.

Officers were able to identify Barry by a work ID found in his vehicle; the vehicle was registered to Barry’s mother, who confirmed by phone that he would be driving it. A Minnesota State Trooper applied for a search warrant for Barry’s blood alcohol test, which revealed a BAC of .182.

Barry has been convicted of OWI four other times: In 2011 in Pierce County, and twice in 2012 and once in 2014 in Goodhue County, Minn.

Barry is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 2 p.m. July 31.

head-on crash, Prescott bridge, Pierce County Circuit Court, Wisconsin