St. Paul driver was extremely drunk when he killed passenger in daytime crash, charges say

A driver’s blood alcohol content was more than four times the legal limit when he slammed his car into a tree in St. Paul, fatally injuring a passenger, according to charges filed Thursday.

Austin Wah, 25, of St. Paul was charged in Ramsey County District Court with criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the May 9 crash, which also severely injured another passenger.

According to the criminal complaint, a state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension test revealed Wah’s blood alcohol content soon after the crash was 0.37%, more than 4½ times the legal limit for driving in Minnesota.

The complaint alleged that Wah was driving roughly 60 mph upon impact.

A warrant has been issued for his arrest. Court records did not list an attorney for him.

According to the complaint:

Officers who were sent to the 200 block of Cottage Avenue W. about 9:50 a.m. found a car crashed head-on into a tree.

Two passengers were taken by emergency medical responders to Regions Hospital with critical injuries. Eh Htee Mya, 53, of St. Paul died two days later. Officials have not released the name of the other passenger.

Police recovered two vodka bottles on the ground near the crash scene; one was empty, and the other was less than one-quarter filled.

After a witness told police where Wah lived, officers found him there with fresh facial and leg injuries. They smelled alcohol on his breath.

Wah’s grandfather told police that Wah had been drinking that morning. However, Wah told medics that he was sober and that others in the car were drunk and asked him to drive to a store.

Wah said he walked to his home near the crash scene. He did not call for help after the wreck, despite knowing his two passengers were seriously injured.

A police search of Wah’s bedroom turned up two beer cans in the trash. He admitted drinking two beers before driving.

Wah told police that he hit the brake pedal when he saw a stop sign, but the “car made a loud noise as it accelerated,” the charges read.