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MANDAN, N.D. — South Central District Judge Pam Nesvig on Thursday, Aug. 25, sentenced a Bismarck man to 2 1/2 years in prison on charges that he fled the scene of a fatal crash last summer in Mandan.
Chad Francis Gourneau, 24, in June pleaded guilty to one count of leaving the scene of an accident involving death and three counts of leaving the scene of an accident involving an injury, all felonies. He also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of aggravated reckless driving.
Gourneau received credit for having already spent 402 days in custody. Along with prison time, the judge ordered him to pay more than $6,700 in victim restitution. Upon his release from prison, he must spend two years on supervised probation.
The crash happened about 5:15 p.m. July 8, 2021, at Memorial Highway and Third Street Southeast .
A 16-year-old from Mandan was driving a 2020 GMC pickup truck west on Memorial Highway, and Gourneau was driving a 2000 Ford Windstar minivan north on Third Street Southeast through the intersection.
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The pickup struck the right side of the van and the vehicles came to rest northwest of the intersection, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol.
Gourneau and the 16-year-old suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.
Gourneau fled the crash scene but was later arrested, the patrol said.
Gourneau's passengers — MacKenzie Kimball, 24, of Mandan, and Linda Longie, 21, of Bismarck — were hospitalized with serious injuries.
A third van passenger, Heather Robbins, 42, of Mandan, died of her injuries, the patrol said.
