Dent Man Charged with Manslaughter After Failing to Get Crash Victim Medical Help

Allen Alberts. (OTCDF)

Perham, MN – A Dent man has been charged with causing the death of a woman by not getting her medical assistance directly after a severe car crash.

33-year-old Allen Michael Alberts has been charged with 2nd degree manslaughter and violating a no contact order. Prosecutors say that around 5:45 a.m. Saturday, May 2, Otter Tail County deputies received a report of a deceased female at Perham Hospital, later identified as 40-year-old Nicole Shoultz of Dent. When deputies arrived at the hospital, they learned that Alberts and his mother had driven Shoultz to the hospital and she was pronounced dead shortly after. Deputies spoke with nursing staff, who said Shoultz was dead when she arrived at the hospital.

Deputies also learned that Alberts was Shoultz’s boyfriend, but there was a no contact order against him for an incident in March where he strangled her. Court documents say Alberts told investigators that he and Shoultz went out with his parents Friday night and had a few drinks. After they decided to leave around 2 a.m., Alberts said he saw Shoultz talking with a couple of other guys, which caused the two to have an argument.

Alberts said the argument continued in his truck on the way home, culminating in Shoultz punching him and grabbing at the steering wheel. Alberts said he pulled the truck over, got out, and went to the passenger side to address Shoultz, but she locked the doors and drove away from him. He saw the truck go over the hill and heard a crash.

Court documents say Alberts found Shoultz unresponsive in a field, having been ejected from the truck during the crash. Alberts said he brought her back to his home and called his mom for assistance around 3:20 a.m. Alberts said he and his mother considered calling 911, but was worried about the no contact order.

While they were discussing what they should do, Alberts said they realized Shoultz had stopped breathing, but she still had a pulse and her lips were not blue. They then loaded her in the car and transported her to Perham Hospital. He performed CPR on her while his mother drove. While he did so, Shoultz vomited, but never regained consciousness.

Court documents say Shoultz had lacerations to her head, face and neck and bruising to both eye areas. In addition, she had road rash on her right lower back and buttocks, and an open laceration with tissue exposed on the back of her right leg. Shoultz’s body was taken to the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy, where they found that her injuries were consistent with a serious motor vehicle accident.

Deputies placed Alberts under arrest at around 11:13 a.m. Saturday. He made his first court appearance Tuesday morning.