Driver charged after chisel plow 'sawed open' minivan, killing father and injuring his family

A Twin Cities man is facing criminal charges after the chisel plow he was hauling on a two-lane road last year "sawed open" an oncoming minivan, killing the driver and injuring three others, court documents show.

Berend W. Bouwman, 24, of Brooklyn Park, was charged this week in Anoka County District Court with one count of criminal vehicular homicide and two counts of criminal vehicular operation in connection with the Nov. 17 crash.

The collision happened around 8 p.m. that evening on Jarvis Street Northwest in the Anoka County town of Nowthen.

According to the criminal complaint, the Minnesota State Patrol's investigation determined Bouwman's "gross negligence" caused the crash.

Charges state the chisel plow farming trailer attached to his pickup truck was 14 feet and 10 inches wide, while the lane of traffic was only 12 feet wide.

Charges allege Bouwman's chisel plow was at least three feet into the oncoming lane of traffic when it struck the minivan, killing 32-year-old Cole Deiley, of Zimmerman, and injuring Deiley's partner, Alyssa Groettum, and their two young children.

Deiley's arm was severed from his body and he was declared dead at the scene after being extracted from the vehicle by first responders.

According to the complaint, investigators believe Bouwman swerved to avoid a road sign on the shoulder, sending the plow even further into the minivan's lane of traffic.

Investigators believe both Bouwman and Deiley were driving below the posted speed limit when the crash occurred, however, Minnesota law prohibits vehicles towing a chisel plow from driving in excess of 30 miles-per-hour.

Bouwman is believed to have been traveling between 34 and 38 mph, charges allege.

According to the complaint, investigators believe Deiley did not see the chisel plow "until it was too late."

Charges allege Bouwman failed to properly light the chisel plow in accordance with state law and the plow was unlit at the time of the collision.

"There was no electrical connection between the truck and the chisel plow trailer to illuminate it and warn oncoming traffic of its presence," the complaint states. "While [Bouwman] was utilizing a form of flashing lights on his truck, they were inconsistent with the requirements under Minnesota statute."

According to a GoFundMe campaign, Deiley's daughter Rosa was four-years-old and his son, Callum, was two-years-old when they survived the crash.

"Cole was kind and generous to all he knew, but above all Cole was a family man," the page reads. "No bigger smile was seen on Cole's face than when talking about Rosa and Cal."

According to the criminal complaint, Callum suffered a skull fracture and required stitches in his face.