FERGUS FALLS, MN — A Fergus Falls man is facing a criminal vehicular homicide charge after a head-on crash in Otter Tail County killed 51-year-old Basro Hassan Abokar. Minnesota State Patrol investigators say the collision happened on Sept. 6 along Highway 59 in Erhards Grove Township.
According to a criminal complaint, 25-year-old Jacob Lee Thatcher told police he drank alcohol before the crash and also used marijuana. Investigators say he blamed a mix of alcohol and medications for making him a “lightweight,” and described vehicle problems that he said made the car hard to control.
The crash happened around 4:50 p.m. on wet roads, and investigators say a witness saw Thatcher’s vehicle weaving before the collision. Abokar was found dead at the scene.
Troopers say both vehicles struck head-on near milepost 235 on Highway 59
State Patrol records say the crash involved a southbound Volkswagen Passat driven by Thatcher and a northbound Buick Regal driven by Abokar. The vehicles collided near milepost 235 on Highway 59, a stretch of road in rural Otter Tail County.
Investigators described the roadway as wet at the time of the wreck. The complaint says the impact happened in Erhards Grove Township, a few miles outside Fergus Falls, and that the force of the crash left Abokar dead at the scene when a trooper arrived.
The case was filed in Otter Tail County Court, and the criminal charge centers on the deadly outcome of the collision. Authorities have not released any information about other injuries connected to the crash.
Witness told police Thatcher’s car was weaving before it crossed into traffic
In the complaint, a witness said she had been driving ahead of Thatcher and saw his car moving outside the lane lines. She told investigators it nearly went into a ditch before she looked back and saw the Volkswagen swerve head-on into the Buick in her rearview mirror.
That account is one of the main pieces of evidence in the case. It places Thatcher’s vehicle in unstable motion before the collision and suggests the driver was already struggling to keep the car in its lane.
The complaint also says Thatcher later told a trooper that he was impatient with the slower vehicle in front of him and intended to pass it when he struck the other car. Investigators say he also linked the control issues to unbalanced tires and bad calipers.
Thatcher allegedly told a trooper he drank liquor and used marijuana before the crash
After the crash, a trooper spoke with Thatcher at the hospital, according to the complaint. Investigators say he admitted to drinking a 99-proof liquor “shooter” before getting behind the wheel.
The complaint also says Thatcher told police he takes medications that make him a “lightweight” when he drinks. He reportedly said he was not drunk, but that alcohol and his medication were “not a good mix.”
Investigators further say Thatcher told the trooper he had smoked marijuana from a THC pen the night before and that a pen was found in his vehicle. The trooper noted that Thatcher’s eyes were bloodshot during their conversation, according to the complaint.
Vehicle problems and speeding were part of Thatcher’s explanation to investigators
Thatcher also told police that he was speeding and that he could not afford to fix his car’s mechanical problems, according to the complaint. He described the vehicle as developing a “death wobble,” a vibration he said made it difficult to drive.
He reportedly told investigators the car’s unbalanced tires and bad calipers contributed to the crash. Those statements were included in the criminal complaint as part of the state’s account of what may have led up to the fatal collision.
Authorities have not said whether investigators have confirmed any of those mechanical issues through an inspection. The complaint does say that a state trooper sought a blood sample from Thatcher by search warrant.
Blood test results were not included as coworkers mourn Basro Hassan Abokar
The complaint says the blood sample was taken, but results were not available at the time the filing was prepared. Details about the medications Thatcher said he was taking were also not disclosed in the court document.
Abokar has been remembered by coworkers at the Fergus Falls Walmart, who posted a statement saying they were deeply saddened by her unexpected death. They described her as a valued part of the team and said her presence and kindness would be remembered.
The message also offered condolences to her family, friends and others who knew her, asking the community to keep her loved ones and coworkers in their thoughts during the difficult time.
Criminal vehicular homicide case now moves forward in Otter Tail County
Thatcher now faces a criminal vehicular homicide charge in Otter Tail County Court. The complaint ties the charge to the fatal head-on collision, the alleged drinking and drug use, and the account of erratic driving before impact.
The case remains at the stage of a criminal complaint, and authorities have not said what additional court dates or filings may follow. For Abokar’s family, friends and coworkers, the crash left behind a sudden loss that has been felt in both the workplace and the Fergus Falls community.
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