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Deputy Washington Co. off duty, he probably drank alcohol before the accident, as a result of which the children were harmed

Deputy Washington Co. off duty, he probably drank alcohol before the accident, as a result of which the children were harmed

An off-duty Washington County deputy is believed to have done this drank alcohol before causing a head-on collision which injured five children and a couple in their thirties.

What we know

A Minnesota State Patrol (MSP) report shows the crash occurred on Highway 95 near Scenic Lane in Afton just before 10:40 a.m. on Sunday, October 27.

Authorities say 58-year-old Campbell Johnston Blair of Hastings was driving a Subaru Crosstrek north on Highway 95 when he crossed the center lane and hit a southbound Ford Expedition head-on.

The accident report listed alcohol as a contributing factor in Blair’s involvement in the crash.

Blair is a deputy with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and was off-duty at the time of the incident.

The accident report shows that five children were in the Ford Expedition at the time of the accident. Among the children was a 2-year-old girl. A 7-year-old girl, a 6-year-old boy, an 8-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy.

The accident report now states that the children suffered minor injuries, but did not initially include information about the children in the vehicle.

A man and a woman, both in their 30s, also suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the crash.

Sheriff’s Office Response

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office released the following statement regarding the incident:

“We are aware of a traffic accident involving an off-duty Washington County deputy. The Minnesota State Patrol is currently investigating the incident and, pending the outcome of the investigation, we will take all appropriate actions in accordance with our policies and procedures.”

The Washington County Attorney’s Office said it “received a referral from the investigative agency and is currently reviewing it.”

Blair’s origins

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said Blair was hired in 2020.

Blair was also a hockey star, even though she had one trophy named in his honor in 2022.

What we don’t know

As of Thursday morning, no criminal charges had been announced against Blair.

Authorities have not released any details about Blair’s alleged level of intoxication during the crash.