Charges filed against driver in Lafayatte Tunnel Crash

TWO HARBORS, Minn. – A man is charged with a crash that left a road worker with life-threatening injured.

Charges have been filed against the driver accused of crashing into a scissor lift inside the Lafayette Tunnel, leaving a road worker critically injured. Court documents show 34-year-old Patches Magickbeans of Hartland, Wisconsin, is charged with criminal vehicular operation and possession of psilocybin mushrooms.

According to a criminal complaint, a witness who was driving behind Magickbeans caught the crash on their dashcam. The witness told police they saw Magickbeans swerving on the road, strike a curb near the entrance of the tunnel, and drive through traffic cones before crashing into the scissor lift.

When officers arrived, they found one road worker on the ground with life-threatening injuries and another worker on the ceiling “light fixture [with] no way of getting down.” After the worker was helped down, he told authorities he was working on the lift when he heard the van crashing through traffic cones. The worker said he grabbed the light fixture right before the van hit the lift.

Authorities at the scene reported Magickbeans making erratic movements and nonsensical statements and believed they may be signs of impairment. When Magickbeans was being removed from the van, authorities found a bin containing 89.5 grams of psilocybin mushrooms.

State Troopers met with Magickbeans at the hospital on Jun. 21, where he said the last thing he remembers is driving in Cloquet. When asked about the mushrooms found, and if he consumed any prior to the crash, Magickbeans “stated he had a small one the day before along with an edible.” He also told authorities that he expected his blood tests would come back negative.