BREAKING NEWS: Mantorville man faces misdemeanor charges in connection with 5-year-old boy’s death

The Olmsted County Attorney announced Wednesday that Myles Keller of Mantorville has been charged in connection with the crash that killed a 5-year-old Kasson boy in May.
A criminal complaint summons has been issued charging Keler with misdemeanor driving with an excess alcohol content and gross misdemeanor reckless driving causing death.
County Attorney Mark A. Ostrem said more serious felony charges of criminal vehicular homicide will not be filed. He said law requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Keller’s driving conduct was a substantial factor in causing the death or that his acts had a substantial part in the crash leading to the death. Despite a very complete investigation, based on the current law, the state simply cannot meet that burden, according to Ostrem.
Keller was operating a motor vehicle on May 25 on the Dodge-Olmsted county line in which 5-year-old Lukas Wharton was hit while riding in a wagon. Wharton died a week later in the hospital from injuries sustained in the crash.
The DCI will have more on this story in next week’s print edition.