Man, 29, Pleads Guilty To Drunken Crash That Killed Passenger

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 29-year-old man has pleaded guilty to driving drunk before a Coon Rapids crash that killed a passenger in his vehicle.

On Friday, Samuel Maser specifically pleaded guilty to criminal vehicular homicide under the influence of alcohol in connection to the March 9, 2016 incident.

In the early morning on the day of the incident, Maser crashed his vehicle into an unoccupied vehicle on the shoulder of Highway 10. His passenger, Ashley Novak, was killed at the scene. Maser was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Maser admitted he was drinking to police at the scene, and a breath test showed he had a .165 percent blood alcohol level.

Ashley Novak's father, Scott, and two sisters, Nicole and Sarah, told WCCO the couple had been in a relationship for 10 years and had two children together.

Maser's next court appearance is set for Aug. 25, 2016.