GUSTAVUS HOCKEY PLAYER SENTENCED TO PROBATION IN TEAMMATE’S DEATH

A Gustavus  Adolphus hockey player has been sentenced to probation for one year for causing a two-vehicle crash that killed her 19-year-old passenger and teammate last year.  20-year-old Gianna Gasparine of Lakeville pleaded guilty Monday in Chippewa county Court to a gross misdemeanor of reckless driving in connection with the crash that killed Jori Lynn Jones of Little Canada.  She was sentenced to a stay of adjudication which means if she successfully  completes probation the charge will be dismissed and the conviction will go off her criminal record.  The criminal complaint says that the collision was caused by Gasparini speeding and running a four-way stop west of Willmar in August of 2023.  Jones died at the Montevideo hospital an hour later and Gasparini and two other teammates were taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.  Gasparini told authorities that she had not taken her ADHD medication that morning.  The crash report showed that she did not have alcohol in her system  nor was she distracted.