Roseau Man Charged In Fatal DWI Crash
Roseau County (trfnews.i234.me) — A Roseau man is facing felony charges after a fatal motorcycle crash in rural Roseau County.
Rodney Lee Werk, 53, of Roseau, is charged in Roseau County District Court. The charges stem from a May 7, 2026, crash near County Road 124 and 420th Avenue.
According to the criminal complaint, emergency crews were called at about 8:24 p.m. A motorcycle was found with heavy damage. A male rider was found on the roadway.
Life-saving efforts were started at the scene. Several agencies responded, including fire, ambulance, sheriff’s deputies, and state officials.
Charges Filed In Roseau County Court
Werk is charged with criminal vehicular homicide. Prosecutors allege he operated a motor vehicle with an alcohol level of .08 or more.
That charge is filed under Minnesota Statute 609.2112. It carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
Werk is also charged with failing to stop after a crash involving injury or death. That charge is listed under Minnesota Statute 169.09.
Rodney Lee Werk
He also faces two gross misdemeanor DWI charges. Those charges involve driving under the influence and having an alcohol level of .08 or more.
The DWI counts are listed under Minnesota Statute 169A.20.
Complaint Details Crash Investigation
The complaint says investigators found a Chevrolet emblem and a Duramax Diesel emblem near the motorcycle.
Investigators later connected the suspected vehicle to Werk. A white Chevrolet pickup was found at his nearby residence, according to the complaint.
The court filing says the pickup had severe damage on the driver’s side. The complaint also states the vehicle appeared to be missing a Chevrolet emblem.
A witness told investigators he saw a damaged white pickup near the crash area. The witness said a red car also stopped near the pickup.
The witness reported that both vehicles later left the area. No other vehicles were reported at the scene.
Investigators said the motorcycle appeared to be traveling north on 420th Avenue. The Chevrolet was believed to be traveling west on County Road 124.
The complaint states the motorcycle appeared to have failed to stop at a stop sign. It then crashed into the driver’s side of the Chevrolet.
Alcohol Allegations Listed In Complaint
According to the complaint, Werk gave changing statements about alcohol use.
Werk first denied drinking, according to the court filing. He later stated he had one drink after arriving home.
The complaint says a preliminary breath test showed a result of .151 at 9:17 p.m. A blood sample was later taken at LifeCare Medical Center in Roseau.
The sample was to be sent to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for analysis.
Court records also list a prior DWI conviction from November 18, 2019, in Red Lake County.
All charges are allegations. Werk is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.