A St. Paul man was charged with involuntary manslaughter Monday for driving his SUV into the back of the family’s car that broke down on Minnesota 36 in Lake Elmo, killing a 5-year-old girl.

Morgan Rae Petersen of St. Paul was in the back seat of her father’s 2006 Ford Focus when it broke down in the left lane of eastbound 36 at Lake Elmo Avenue at about 8:45 p.m. on Jan. 20 due to a mechanical problem.

Witness testimony and video showed that 47-year-old Jeffrey Dean Alexander Jr. rammed the Ford from behind after another vehicle changed lanes to avoid the stalled Ford, the indictment says. Morgan died the next day at Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

According to the complaint, Alexander’s speed and impairment were also factors that caused the accident.

Accident reconstruction data from the Minnesota State Patrol showed that Alexander’s 2013 Nissan Pathfinder was traveling 62-63 mph at the time of impact, but was traveling 81 mph five seconds before the crash and 75 mph four seconds before the crash. The speed limit there is 65 mph.

A blood sample taken from Alexander nearly two hours later showed a blood alcohol content of 0.056, less than the legal limit of 0.08 in Minnesota, and the presence of clonazepam, a sedative that had been prescribed to him, the lawsuit says.

According to a search warrant affidavit dated Jan. 23, a police officer could smell alcohol coming from Alexander, who “admitted to having two beers earlier.” Neither a breathalyzer nor a preliminary breath test were administered at the scene “because the ambulance was about to leave” to take Alexander to Regions Hospital.

Morgan’s father, Christopher Scott Petersen, 43, of St. Paul, and a 10-year-old passenger, Mason Scott Ries, were also taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul for treatment. Their injuries are not considered life-threatening, the State Patrol said.

Other factors that led to the accident, according to the lawsuit, included: Alexander failed to recognize the danger posed by the broken-down Ford before moving into the left lane. He also “failed to maintain sufficient distance between his vehicle and the vehicles in front of him to be able to react to hazards on the road.”

State Patrol reconstruction experts found that the roadway was clear and dry and that the stalled vehicle’s flashing lights were visible for about a quarter mile.

Morgan was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash; Chris Petersen and Mason were not, according to the State Patrol. Morgan suffered a broken neck and severe brain injuries in the crash, according to a post on GoFundMe.

“Morgan was the brightest light in any room,” the GoFundMe fundraiser states. “At 5 years old, she was the boss of everyone and she knew it. She loved to sing, dance, play with her dolls and was very vibrant, outgoing, funny and full of energy. She was one of a kind.”

According to the GoFundMe post, Chris Petersen tried to move his car after it got stuck, “even though he knew his children were inside, but he couldn’t.”

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