Charges: Trucker was watching Netflix when he caused crash that killed couple in MN

A Tennessee truck driver has been charged with causing a crash that killed a couple in southeastern Minnesota last summer, with a criminal complaint alleging he was watching Netflix behind the wheel at the time of the crash.

Billy Joe Grimes, 55, of Lansing, TN, is charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicides and one of criminal vehicular operation over the August 2023 crash on I-35 near Faribault, which resulted in the deaths of Iowa couple Matthew and Cimberly Hansen, aged 57 and 56 respectively.

The crash happened on I-35 just south of a construction zone, with Grimes' semi-trailer slamming into a Toyota Camry containing the Hansens, and a pickup truck pulling a trailer, the driver of which suffered minor injuries.

According to the Rice County Attorney's Office, traffic cameras and dash cam footage taken from the truck showed that Grimes – a commercial truck driver for five years – passed five signs a mile apart in the five miles prior to the crash site that "warned of upcoming road construction, to slow down and to prepare for traffic to merge," with two of the signs having flashing lights.

"Despite warnings of slow or stopped traffic, Grimes continued toward the construction zone with his semi’s cruise control set between 66-67 mph," the attorney's office says.

"Video also showed that 10 seconds prior to the crash traffic in both travel lanes had slowed or stopped. The dash cam helped establish Grimes was streaming a Netflix show on his phone as the crash happened," it adds.

The Hansens, who had been en route to visit family in Minnesota, were pronounced dead at the scene after their Camry was crushed and sent flying into a ditch.

Grimes allegedly denied using his phone when questioned at the scene by troopers.

"There was ample space for Grimes to perceive the slow-moving traffic ahead, to slow down and avoid colliding into the rear of the Toyota and Chevrolet pulling the trailer,” Rice County Attorney Brian Mortenson said.

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