A New Richland man was killed the morning of Wednesday, June 21, in a collision with a semi.
58-year-old Scott Bolduan was traveling southbound on Highway 13 between Hartland and New Richland at about 11:07 a.m in a 2006 Dodge Ram truck when he was struck by a semi-truck driven by Darryn Bullock, a 35-year-old man from Dallas, North Carolina.
Troopers say Bolduan wasn’t wearing a seat belt and died at the scene. Bullock suffered non-life threatening injuries and was transported to the Owatonna hospital. He later was charged with felony vehicular homicide (operating a motor vehicle in grossly negligent manner) in Waseca County District Court.
In the complaint, one witness stated that she was traveling the same direction as the semi, heading northbound on Highway 13. She said the semi passed her and was attempting to pass another semi in front of her by going into the southbound lane when the accident happened.
Bullock had a taxi driver traveling behind him, so that he could be taken from “Crystal Lake” [sic. Lake Crystal] to Mankato after Bullock delivered a new semi-trailer. The taxi driver said that they were traveling approximately 70 to 75 mph and that Bullock was “speeding, tailgating, and did attempt to pass someone.”
The complaint stated that Bullock said he “thought the truck had a speed lock on it and thought the truck was governed at 65 mph.” He said he began to pass a slower semi-truck in a passing zone but that the semi he was passing sped up when he was passing it. Bullock could see about a mile up the road, but there was a curve in the road when he saw the pickup Bolduan was driving heading southbound. Both vehicles swerved in the same direction to avoid the crash. Bullock said he was going around 55 mph at the time of the collison, but admitted that he was on a video call at the time.
Bullock was apprehended at the MSP/St. Paul airport after being released from the hospital. According to the complaint, Bullock said that he was not trying to run and was unaware he was under arrest prior to leaving the hospital.
Both Bullock and the taxi driver claimed earlier in the complaint that Bullock needed to be on a flight at 7 p.m. the day of the crash.
Bullock’s next hearing is set for Aug. 29, 2023 at 2 p.m. at the Waseca Courthouse.