Driver in crash that killed Motzko, Schuneman pleads guilty to criminal vehicular homicide

ORONO — James David Blue, 52, the driver of a vehicle that crashed in July, killing two men, entered a guilty plea Tuesday to two counts of criminal vehicular homicide.

Two counts of third-degree murder and two counts of criminal vehicular homicide will be dismissed at sentencing set for May 5, according to Hennepin County district court documents.

The prosecution and defense have agreed to a prison sentence of seven years and six months, with 42 months suggested on one count and 48 months on the second count, according to the plea petition.

Blue was the driver of a car that crashed into several trees in Orono on July 24 and killed Mack Motzko, 20, and Samuel Schuneman, 24. Blue turned himself in to the Orono Police Department in late July.

Police said Schuneman and Motzko were both wearing seatbelts while Blue, who was ejected from the vehicle, was not. The Orono Police Department said in August that lab results showed Blue had a blood-alcohol level of 0.175 after the crash. The legal limit for driving in Minnesota is 0.08.

Data obtained from the airbag module of the vehicle indicated a speed of 94-99 mph seconds before the crash, according to the Orono Police Department.

Schuneman, of Maple Grove, was in the passenger seat and died at the scene. Blue and Motzko, who was in the back seat, were transported to North Memorial Hospital. Motzko later died from his injuries.

More: Minnesota mourns former Cathedral hockey player who died in car crash

Mack Motzko graduated from St. Cloud Cathedral High School in 2020 and played hockey for the Sioux Falls Stampede in 2020-2021.

Mack Motzko’s father, Bob Motzko, was the head coach of the St. Cloud State University men’s hockey team from 2005-2018 and is the current head coach of the University of Minnesota men’s hockey team.

More: Minnesota mourns former Cathedral hockey player who died in car crash

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Driver in crash that killed Mack Motzko, Sam Schuneman pleads guilty