The case of Maranda Weber may be drawing to a conclusion after two years.
In the spring of 2008, a grand jury charged Weber with one misdemeanor count of careless driving and one petty misdemeanor count of driving without due care after the Border Patrol vehicle she was driving the night of October 31, 2007 struck and killed Gunflint Trail resident Ken Petersen as he was attempting to clear a downed tree from the road.
According to County Attorney Tim Scannell, Judge Kenneth Sandvik indicated in a Tuesday, July 21, 2009 phone conversation with Weber’s attorney and himself that he would accept a plea from Weber. Normally a county attorney has authority to accept a settlement, but the judge’s permission was required because the case had gone to a grand jury.
Sandvik would be open to either a plea of guilty on petty misdemeanors for both of the charges or to dropping the misdemeanor charge entirely.
A pre-trial/settlement conference date has been set for November 3. If a plea bargain is made that day, the case will conclude.
A three-day trial has been put on the docket for November 19 in case a settlement is not made.
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