Christine Possin of New Richland died in the Nov. 4 head-on crash near Hope. The other driver involved has been charged with criminal vehicular homicide for allegedly being more than twice the legal limit for alcohol.
Man charged in fatal crash
Wed, 12/03/2025 - 11:45pm
The surviving driver of a fatal head-on crash near Hope earlier this month has been charged with felony criminal vehicular homicide.
David Ramirez, 26, of Owatonna, made his first appearance Monday in Steele County District Court, where he was also charged with two counts of gross misdemeanor DWL.
According to the statement of probable cause, Ramirez had a blood alcohol content of .20 after the Nov. 4 crash near the intersection of 37th Avenue and 93rd Street southwest.
Christine Possin, 71, of New Richland, was the other driver. The mother of nine and grandmother of 44 was pronounced dead at the scene.
When Steele County Sheriff’s deputies arrived, they found a pickup diagonally on the road; an SUV was in the west ditch, facing north. Both vehicles had heavy front-end damage.
Ramirez was sitting in the driver’s seat, as well as an open can of beer in the passenger side door.
A handgun was found next to the driver’s seat in Ramirez’s vehicle, as well, the statement says.
A Minnesota State Patrol reconstruction determined Possin was driving south on 37th Avenue and Ramirez was northbound when the collision occurred.
Residents in the area called 911 after hearing the crash.