Rochester man charged for September 2021 crash that led to passenger leg amputation

Mark Wasson, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·2 min read

Jul. 13—ROCHESTER — A Rochester man is accused of causing a motorcycle accident that led to the amputation of a woman's leg, according to charges filed Tuesday, July, 13, 2022, in Olmsted County District Court.

Andreas Maxwell Schmidt, 44, is facing felony charges of criminal vehicular operation causing great bodily harm while under the influence, fourth- and fifth- degree drug possession and carrying a pistol while under the influence of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor. He's set to appear before District Judge Pamela King on Aug. 30, 2022.

According to the criminal complaint:

Schmidt was driving a motorcycle at about 11 p.m. Sept. 25, 2021, along U.S. Highway 14 near Dover when his rear tire blew out, throwing himself and an unidentified adult female passenger off the vehicle. Schmidt was part of a group of three motorcycles headed eastbound on Highway 14 that night.

One of the motorcyclists told law enforcement the group was traveling over 70 miles per hour.

A motorist the group passed crested a hill shortly after and saw the crash. In an attempt to avoid the crash the motorist swerved toward the center of the lane. The right tires of their vehicle then drove over the female passenger's legs.

First responders at the scene applied a tourniquet to the female passenger's leg that appeared to have a serious break. She was airlifted to Mayo Clinic Hospital-Saint Marys. Her leg was later amputated due to an infection and pain she was experiencing after the crash.

Schmidt's blood tested positive for cocaine, methamphetamine and amphetamine, according to an analysis by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

Law enforcement found a Smith and Wesson M&P Shield 9 mm pistol holstered on Schmidt's hip following the crash. Multiple controlled substances were found in the saddlebag, along with several notes regarding drug deliveries and trading drugs for guns.

Schmidt was conscious but had a difficult time communicating following the crash. He later declined to answer questions from law enforcement about the drugs found on his motorcycle.