HANSKA, MN — Two people in their 70s died early Saturday in a two-vehicle crash on a Brown County road near Hanska, and the pickup driver has since been charged with criminal vehicular homicide while under the influence of alcohol.
The Brown County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called at about 12:15 a.m. to Brown County Road 13, north of Brown County Road 22. Investigators found a pickup truck and a sedan at the scene, and both occupants of the sedan were pronounced dead there.
The Crash
Authorities identified the dead as Paul Rewitzer, 73, who was driving the sedan, and Paulette Rewitzer, 74, who was a passenger. Both were from the area, and both died where the crash happened.
The pickup was driven by a 28-year-old woman. Deputies said she was taken to New Ulm Medical Center after the collision. Officials have not said what led up to the impact or which vehicle crossed into the other’s path.
The Charges
Brown County prosecutors charged the driver, Shianne Lee Escobar, with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide while under the influence of alcohol. The complaint says she was heading home to Hanska after being at a bar in New Ulm.
According to the complaint, deputies noticed slurred speech and an overwhelming odor of alcohol after the crash. Those details were included as part of the criminal case filed against her.
At The Scene
The crash happened before dawn on a rural stretch of road in southern Minnesota. Brown County Road 13 runs north of Brown County Road 22 in the area where authorities responded, and the scene drew deputies, medical crews and investigators.
The sheriff’s office said the investigation began immediately after the 12:15 a.m. report. The two-vehicle wreck left one pickup truck and one sedan at the scene, with the sedan’s two occupants fatally injured.
Court Status
A warrant has been issued for Escobar’s arrest, according to the criminal complaint. That means the case is now moving through the court system even as investigators continue to document what happened before and after the crash.
No court hearing details were included in the information released so far. The Brown County Sheriff’s Office has not said whether any additional charges could follow, and the case remains open.
What Comes Next
For now, the fatal crash has become both a homicide case and an impaired-driving case. The charges reflect the state’s allegation that alcohol played a role in the deaths of the Rewitzers.
Authorities have not released more information about the vehicles, road conditions or speed. The investigation is continuing, and officials have said the case is still developing.
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