MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 31-year-old man was sentenced to nearly five years in prison in Morrison County Court on Thursday in connection with a July 2011 accident that killed his 2-year-old son.
Gabriel David Pauly was sentenced to 58 months in prison with credit for time already served on one count of criminal vehicular homicide. He was charged July 12, 2011 in connection with the July 9, 2011 incident.
According to a complaint, Morrison County Dispatch received a 911 call at 8:13 p.m. on July 9, 2011, from a woman who stated that she was involved in a motor vehicle crash where her young son had been ejected from vehicle and might be pinned underneath it.
When authorities arrived at the accident on Acorn Road in Elmdale Township, the car was observed in a ditch on its side with the roof facing the road.
Pauly was on the scene waving his arms to a deputy. He said that his little boy was underneath the vehicle, according to the complaint. Both Pauly and the deputy were unsuccessful in trying to push the vehicle over.
When first responders arrived, the vehicle was pushed over and the child was found underneath. They tried performing life-saving techniques, but the child, identified as Quintin Pauly, was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the complaint, Gabriel Pauly, who admitted to driving the vehicle, showed signs of intoxication: strong odor of alcohol coming from him and bloodshot, watery eyes. After a breathalyzer test, Pauly’s results came back at .133 BAC, the complaint said.
Later, at the Morrison County Jail, Pauly agreed to give a taped statement. He said he went to the Swanville Carnival earlier with his fiancé and his two children. He admitted to drinking six, 16-ounce cans of beer, the complaint said.
While driving home, Pauly said that he “obviously must have been traveling too fast” when taking the 90-degree turn. He also said that Quintin was in a car seat, but he wasn’t sure if he was buckled in or not, the complaint said.
Quintin died of asphyxia due to external thorastic (chest) compression due to the accident, according to preliminary autopsy results.
