NEW ULM - The grand jury that will decide if charges will be filed in the fatal accident involving a New Ulm police officer will convene in late December or January, according to Redwood County Attorney Steve Collins.
Collins, who is special prosecutor for Brown County in this case, is responsible for calling the grand jury. He took over the case in September. In early November, he decided to turn the case over to a grand jury.
He said he expects the process to conclude quickly once the grand jury is called.
"I know the evidence. So, I don't expect the grand jury to take more than a couple days to decide," said Collins.
Collins will represent the prosecution for the grand jury's proceedings.
He said he felt a grand jury was the appropriate method to deal with a police officer-related fatality. He said he discussed his decision to call a grand jury with members of the victims' families before proceeding.
The report from the Minnesota State Patrol on the accident will not be available until the grand jury makes a decision on charges.
The double fatality accident occurred on July 8 on North Garden Street. A squad car driven by Patrolman Mathew Rasmussen collided with a car, resulting in two deaths. The passenger, Brian Wichmann, 60, of Mankato, died the day of the accident. The driver, Myra Meyer, 82, of New Ulm, who was Wichmann's mother, died at Hennepin County Medical Center on July 19.
(Josh Moniz can be e-mailed at jmoniz@nujournal.com)
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