NEW ULM — A Sleepy Eye man is facing multiple gross misdemeanor charges following a single-vehicle crash south of New Ulm that injured his passenger and led to a DWI investigation.
Christopher Lee Cody Rosales, 31, has been charged in Brown County District Court with one gross misdemeanor count of criminal vehicular operation causing bodily harm, two gross misdemeanor counts of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, and driving while impaired.
On July 2, Brown County sheriff’s deputies responded at about 10:30 p.m. to an automated iPhone crash detection alert about six miles south of New Ulm, according to the criminal complaint. Deputies found a Chevrolet Tahoe with significant damage and deployed airbags resting in a water-filled drainage ditch.
The passenger reported pain in his left arm and was bleeding from his right elbow. The passenger told deputies the vehicle reportedly left the roadway while traveling through a turn, entered the ditch, nearly exited it and then went back down into the ditch.
Rosales exited the vehicle at deputies’ request, and they observed signs of intoxication, including a strong odor of alcohol, slurred speech and bloodshot, watery eyes. He admitted he had been driving and lost control of the vehicle while speeding through a curve.
He had reportedly consumed about 10 Grain Belt Light beers before driving and admitted he was too intoxicated to drive. He told deputies there was a firearm inside the vehicle’s center console and acknowledged he had a prior felony conviction, the complaint states.
A preliminary breath sample registered a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.263, over three times the legal limit. Deputies arrested him for driving while impaired and transported him to New Ulm Medical Center for medical clearance before jail.
After the arrest, deputies searched the vehicle and located a black Springfield Armory duffle bag inside the center console. The bag contained an unloaded pistol, holster, a speed loader and five magazines, including four loaded with 15 rounds each.