Sartell Man Sentenced for Hitting and Killing Pedestrian

FOLEY (WJON News) -- A Sartell man has been sentenced after his pickup struck and killed a pedestrian in Sauk Rapids in July 2023.

A Benton County judge gave 26-year-old Tyler Nies a stayed sentence of four years and nine months in prison. He must serve one year in the county jail and can serve that term on work release or through sentence to serve if eligible.

Nies was driving northbound on Benton Drive on July 28th when he struck a man in the roadway.

Sauk Rapids Police responded to the scene at Benton Drive North and 8th Street North at around 11:00 p.m. Officers arrived to find 47-year-old Kevin Oehmen of Sauk Rapids had been struck by a pickup.

Life-saving efforts were started on Oehmen until an ambulance arrived to take him to the hospital. Oehmen was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later.

Court records show the officers on scene smelled alcohol on Nies and administered a breathalyzer test. Records show his preliminary blood-alcohol level was 0.129.

Nies pleaded guilty to one count of criminal vehicular homicide in June. A driving under the influence charge was dismissed at sentencing.