Charges: Trucker fled after fatally striking motorcyclist in Chaska

A 46-year-old New Germany man faces multiple criminal charges in connection with a hit-and-run crash that killed a motorcyclist in Chaska in July. 

Jeffrey W. Pike Jr. was charged last month in Carver County District Court with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and one count of failing to abide by a traffic signal in connection with the July 14 crash that killed Mark R. Hagen, 52, of Chaska. 

Hagan was a husband and father-of-four, according to his obituary. 

Witness statements in the criminal complaint allege Pike ran a red light before the crash at Engler Boulevard and Clove Ridge Drive. 

After the collision, one witness followed Pike — who allegedly did not stop at the crash scene — and took pictures of his truck, which were later sent to law enforcement. Officers learned "Pike Transportation" had been written on the side of the truck and identified the driver as Pike. 

While speaking with investigators later that morning, Pike said he'd been transporting gravel from a gravel pit in Eden Prairie to a construction site in Waconia. 

Pike denied running a red light and said he'd felt his trailer move as he passed through the intersection, but thought it was a gust of wind. 

Pike allegedly told investigators he looked in his side mirrors and did not see anything, so he continued on to Waconia. 

After Pike's truck was impounded, law enforcement discovered pieces of Hagen's motorcycle embedded into the side of the semi-trailer and noticed the trailer had been dented. 

Upon further inspection, investigators found an array of serious violations that would render the vehicle "out of service", including no air in the airbags. 

The semi-truck and trailer were estimated to be more than 2,000 pounds overweight, with a gross weight of 82,060 pounds, the day of the crash.