Politics & Government

Drunk Driver in Car Crash That Killed Florissant Man to be Sentenced

Patrick Walsh was was driving about 100 mph in a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado and had a blood-alcohol level twice the legal limit when he crashed into a Chevy Tahoe on Interstate 270, near West Florissant Road, in 2011.

Patrick Walsh, the drunk driver responsible for a car crash that killed a Florissant man in September 2011, will be sentenced in a St. Louis County courtroom this morning. 

Walsh, according to reports, was was driving a truck about 100 mph and had a blood-alcohol level twice the legal limit when he crashed into a Chevy Tahoe that Steve Brueggen, of Florissant, was riding in on Interstate 270, near West Florissant Road. 

The Tahoe flipped over several times, ejecting Brueggen and another man, Michael R. McLemore, 37, of O’Fallon, from the truck. Both were killed.

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Brueggen was a well-liked teacher in Maryland Heights.

Walsh and the other occupants in the Tahoe had minor injuries.

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Walsh was charged, and later pleaded guilty, to two counts of manslaughter while operating a vehicle with a blood-alcohol level of .18 percent or greater and five counts of assault.


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