A St. Paul man was charged Monday with criminal vehicular homicide for plowing his SUV into the back of a family’s car that was stalled on Minnesota 36 in Lake Elmo, killing a 5-year-old girl.

Morgan Rae Petersen, of St. Paul, was a back-seat passenger in her father’s 2006 Ford Focus, which had stalled from a mechanical issue in the left lane of eastbound 36 at Lake Elmo Avenue around 8:45 p.m. Jan. 20.

Witness statements and video showed that 47-year-old Jeffrey Dean Alexander Jr. struck the Ford from behind after another vehicle changed lanes to avoid the stalled Ford, the criminal complaint says. Morgan died the next day at Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

Alexander’s speed and impairment were also factors that caused the crash, according to the complaint.

Minnesota State Patrol crash reconstruction data showed Alexander’s 2013 Nissan Pathfinder was traveling 62-63 mph at the point of impact, but had been traveling 81 mph five seconds prior to the crash and 75 mph four seconds prior to the crash. The posted speed limit there is 65 mph.

A blood draw of Alexander taken at nearly two hours later showed a blood alcohol concentration of .056, under Minnesota’s 0.08 legal limit to drive. It also showed the presence of Clonazepam, a sedative he was prescribed, the complaint says.

According to a Jan. 23 search warrant affidavit, a trooper could smell alcohol coming from Alexander, who “admitted to drinking two beers earlier.” Neither field sobriety tests nor a preliminary breath test were done at the scene “due to the ambulance wanting to leave” to take Alexander to Regions Hospital.

Morgan’s father, Christopher Scott Petersen, 43, of St. Paul, and a 10-year-old passenger, Mason Scott Ries, also were taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul for treatment, but their injuries were not considered life-threatening, the State Patrol said.

Other factors that led to the crash, according to the complaint: Alexander failing to recognize the hazard created by the stalled Ford prior to him changing lanes into the left lane, and failing to drive with “sufficient distance between his vehicle and those in front of him to react to hazards within the roadway.”

State Patrol reconstruction experts noted the roadway was clear and dry, and that the flashing lights of the stalled vehicle were visible for approximately a quarter-mile in the distance.

Morgan was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash; Chris Petersen and Mason were not, according to the State Patrol.

Morgan suffered a broken neck and serious brain injuries in the accident, according to a post on GoFundMe.

“Morgan was the brightest light in every room,” the GoFundMe fundraiser says. “At 5 years old, she was the boss of everyone, and she knew it. She loved to sing, dance, play with her dolls, and was very spunky, outgoing, funny, and energetic. She was one of a kind.”

According to the GoFundMe post, Chris Petersen tried to move his car after it stalled “knowing his kids were inside, but he couldn’t.”

Alexander was charged by summons with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide for operating in a grossly negligent manner and operating with negligence under the influence of a combination of alcohol and a controlled substance.

Alexander has a first court appearance scheduled for Oct. 2. An attorney is not listed in his court file.

Alexander’s criminal history includes two convictions for driving after suspension, both in 2009. In May of last year, St. Paul police cited him for following too close to a car in his Nissan Pathfinder. According to the citation, when the driver ahead of him stopped for a stoplight, Alexander struck the back of the car.

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