Selection of jurors takes all of Day 1

After most of Wednesday was spent questioning and selecting jurors in a packed Mower County courtroom, the trial for the accused driver in a 2012 drunken driving crash that killed two Austin men began Thursday.

Jason Fredrickson, 45, faces six varying counts of felony criminal vehicular homicide.

The court complaint filed in Mower County District Court alleges Fredrickson drove a 2009 Cadillac STS into the ditch at about 120 mph on Feb. 25, 2012, while front passenger Jake Moe and rear passenger Luke Unverzagt, both 32, rode with him.

Fredrickson pleaded not guilty in March to the charges: two counts each of criminal vehicular homicide for blood alcohol more than .08, criminal vehicular homicide with negligence under the influence of alcohol, and criminal vehicular homicide for operating a vehicle in a grossly negligent manner.

Furthermore, wives of the two men who died in the crash filed wrongful death suits against Fredrickson. Sarah Unverzagt reached a $100,000 settlement with Fredrickson several days ago. Megan Moe, who also filed a wrongful death suit against Lyle Liquor, has a jury trial with Fredrickson scheduled for later this month.