Minnesota Prosecutors Add Murder Charges in Deadly Drunk Driving Crash at Park Tavern

True Crime Today | A True Crime Podcast

Prosecutors in Minnesota have upgraded charges against Steven Frane Bailey, 56, after he allegedly drove his BMW X5 through the patio of a crowded restaurant, killing two people and injuring nine others. The incident occurred on September 1 at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park, a suburb of Minneapolis.
Bailey was initially charged with vehicular homicide and other drunk driving offenses. However, after reviewing surveillance footage, prosecutors added two counts of third-degree murder, citing his "depraved mind" in committing a dangerous act. According to a probable cause affidavit, Bailey hit a parked vehicle in the restaurant’s lot before attempting to flee. As he accelerated, his SUV struck another vehicle and plowed through a metal fence into the restaurant’s outdoor seating area.
Authorities say Bailey showed no signs of braking as he drove through the patio, striking multiple people and tables.
“After hitting the Black SUV, defendant accelerates straight past a two-lane drive in the parking lot and 11 parking spaces before plowing his vehicle through a metal fence and into the patio seating area,” detectives wrote.
His vehicle finally stopped after hitting two boulders. Among the victims were Kristina Marie Folkerts, 30, who was trapped under the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene, and Gabriel Quinn Harvey, 30, who died later at a hospital.
According to the affidavit, Bailey stumbled from the car and fell. Officers reported hearing him say, “I’m f—-” and “I’m probably going to jail.” He also claimed he intended to brake but accidentally accelerated. His speech was slurred and his eyes were watery. When informed about the field sobriety tests, Bailey allegedly remarked, “You don’t need to do fields, I know what I did.”
The affidavit stated that Bailey had a blood alcohol content of .325, which is more than four times the legal limit of 0.08. After being taken to Hennepin County Jail, he was informed of the vehicular manslaughter charges. Bailey allegedly responded, “You’ve got to be kidding me” and “My life’s pretty much f—– now, isn’t it?”
In addition to the murder charges, prosecutors are seeking an “upward sentencing departure” due to Bailey’s five prior drunk driving convictions, his high blood alcohol level, and the presence of children at the restaurant during the crash.
The community has rallied around the victims, raising over $200,000 for Folkerts' family through a GoFundMe campaign. Folkerts, a mother of three and a Park Tavern employee, was remembered for her passion for photography and her love for her daughters. Harvey, who worked as a health unit coordinator at Methodist Hospital, was also honored through fundraising efforts. He was set to graduate nursing school in December.
Bailey is currently being held on a $500,000 bond at Hennepin County Jail, with a court date set for October 1.
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