Snowmobile Used in Crash that Resulted in Death of Loyal Man Was Stolen
Thursday, February 23rd, 2017 -- 10:06 AM
(WDLB) -The snowmobile used in a crash that killed a 34-year-old Loyal man 10 days ago turned out to be stolen.46-year-old Steven Lauenstein of Loyal is charged with two felonies-- operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent and homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle. Lauenstein drove the 1998 Polaris snowmobile on the morning of February 12th when he rolled over and struck trees off the trail, killing Robert Kurz. According to the criminal complaint, Lauenstein and Kurz had been at the Little Club Bar near Spencer. A bartender told investigators the men spent about two-and-a-half hours at the bar and Lauenstein drank two "Winsor and coke doubles" before they left around 1:30 a.m. on the same snowmobile because the other wouldn't start.
Lauenstein was able to walk to a home and report the crash to authorities around 6:45 a.m. but the homeowner said he appeared to be stunned and didn't know if someone else had been riding with him. Lauenstein made his first court appearance Wednesday but did not have an attorney and it was adjourned until March 16th. He remains in jail on a 75-hundred dollar cash bond.
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