New London, Minnesota, woman sentenced to jail, probation in October crash that injured teenager
Aug. 18—WILLMAR
— A rural New London woman will serve 30 days in jail and two years of supervised probation for a gross misdemeanor conviction of criminal vehicular operation stemming from an October crash in rural Sunburg that injured a teenage driver.
Cortney Lynn Christiansen, 33, was sentenced Aug. 8 in Kandiyohi County District Court to serve 365 days in jail and pay a $3,000 fine, but the court stayed most of the jail sentence and $2,500 of the fine for two years with conditions.
She must serve 30 days in jail, pay the remaining fines and fees totaling $590, and complete 60 days of electronic alcohol monitoring as part of a probation agreement.
Other conditions include completing a chemical assessment, submitting to random testing and paying restitution of an amount yet to be determined. She was given credit for four days already served in jail.
According to the criminal complaint, Christiansen was driving a 2013 Kia Optima that struck a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix around 4:38 p.m. Oct. 10, 2021, on 240th Avenue Northwest near 12th Street Northwest, east of Sunburg.
The Kia was swerving and struck the Grand Prix as its driver, a 16-year-old female, attempted to evade it. The collision caused the Grand Prix to go off the roadway and into a ditch, where it struck a tree.
The juvenile driver was injured. According to West Central Tribune archives, she was identified at the time of the crash as being from Brooten.
Christiansen had a blood-alcohol content of 0.234%, according to the complaint. She has a 2012 conviction for driving while impaired, according to court records.
Christiansen pleaded guilty in June to criminal vehicular operation — bodily harm. As part of a plea agreement, two misdemeanor charges of driving while impaired and misdemeanor obstructing the legal process were dismissed.
