Owatonna, MN (KROC-AM News) - A southeast Minnesota man has been acquitted of the most serious charges he faced in connection with a traffic crash last year that claimed the life of a prominent retired Owatonna businesswoman.

A jury in Steele County heard testimony this week in the case of 20-year-old Hunter Joseph Conrad of Morristown. He was driving a pickup truck pulling a trailer that collided with another vehicle at an intersection north of Owatonna on May 28, 2024. The other driver, Jackie Ostlund of Owatonna, was fatally injured.

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Conrad was accused of distracted driving and was charged with criminal vehicular homicide and misdemeanor counts of careless driving and failure to obey a stop sign. It was alleged that he was distracted by his cell phone when he drove through a stop sign and collided with the victim's car.

READ MORE: Charges – Cell Phone Distraction Led to Owatonna Woman��s Death

According to the criminal complaint, investigators found evidence that Conrad was "actively using his cell phone in the minutes leading up to the crash, if not at the time of the crash." The court document also says data from the airbag control module in his pickup indicated it was traveling between 55 and 60 mph at the time of the crash and that the "brake status" was off during the five seconds preceding the impact.

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After reviewing the evidence and listening to testimony, the jury hearing the case today found Conrad not guilty of the criminal vehicular homicide and careless driving charges. He was convicted of failure to obey a stop sign. Conrad was sentenced to one year on probation and was ordered to pay a $350 fine.

More Minnesota News:

These Common Household Items Are Now Banned In Minnesota

A hot topic lately is PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as "forever chemicals" because they are difficult for humans to detoxify and have half-lives measured in years. These chemicals accumulate in the body over time and can cause significant health issues even at low exposure levels

PFAS are commonly found in the environment and the human body and have been linked to a range of health concerns including increased cholesterol levels, potential disruption of hormone systems, reduced immune function, increased risk of certain cancers, developmental issues in children, and reproductive problems, particularly in pregnant women.

On January 1, 2024, Minnesota prohibited PFAS in firefighting foam and food packaging. The state is taking an even more aggressive stance against the chemicals in 2025.

According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the first prohibitions of products containing intentionally added PFAS under Amara's Law (Minn. Stat. § 116.943) are now in effect in Minnesota, meaning you can no longer legally purchase these items.

If you're wondering if you already have products with intentionally added PFAS, you can take the following steps to be sure:

Check the label - Look for products that are labeled as PFAS-free.
Check for keywords - Look for words like "waterproof," "stain-repellent," or "dirt-repellant" on the tag.
Check for ingredients - Avoid products that contain ingredients with "perfluoro" or "fluoro" in their name.
Use a third-party verification service - Some organizations offer third-party verification of products that claim to be made without PFAS.

As of January 1, 2025, you can no longer purchase products with intentionally added PFAS in Minnesota. These products fall under the 11 categories below.

Gallery Credit: David Drew