MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A Mankato man will spend more than four years in jail for a crash that killed two people, including a woman with whom he allegedly was having sex with, while driving back in August of 2011.
Mark Chalin, 24, made a tearful plea before a judge sentenced him Monday in Blue Earth County Court. He said he would trade his life for the lives of his victims ‘in a heartbeat.’ Chalin was sentenced to 50 months in jail.
The August 2011 crash killed his girlfriend, 23-year-old Amber Menezes and another driver, 35-year-old Jonna Martin of Lakefield.
Witnesses of the crash said Chalin was having sex with his girlfriend in the car as he was driving and his view of the road was blocked when his car slammed into another car, being driven by Martin, head-on. Chalin had pleaded guilty to criminal vehicular homicide via an Alford plea, which denies any wrongdoing but acknowledges the prosecution could likely prove guilt.
