Man charged in crash that killed Twin Cities restaurant company co-owner
A Brooklyn Park, Minnesota man has been charged after a Blue Plate Restaurant Company co-owner was killed by a driver while on a motorcycle Sunday.
According to Wisconsin court records, the man, 33, is charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle.
The Freehouse — one of the restaurants owned by Blue Plate — announced on social media that David Burley "passed away in a motorcycle accident" Sunday afternoon in Wisconsin. All Blue Plate locations in the Twin Cities closed Monday to "give our teams time to grieve" the "overwhelming" loss, the restaurant said.
According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, the fatal crash occurred on westbound Interstate 94 near Hudson around 2:48 p.m. Officials said the driver of a 2011 Infiniti G25 was in the right lane and "attempted to overtake traffic by using the right shoulder," but hit the guardrail. The collision sent the vehicle back into the right lane where it struck Burley's motorcycle. Both the car and motorcycle crashed into the median concrete barrier.
Witnesses told police the man driving the Infiniti was traveling at a high rate of speed, according to the criminal complaint.
Court documents say a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper "suspected the driver was under the influence of alcohol."
Another trooper, who was giving aid to the man at the scene, smelled "an odor of intoxicant" coming from the man, charges say.
The motorcyclist, identified as 58-year-old Burley of Minnetonka, was taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul where he died of his injuries.
The man was also taken to Regions.
A different Wisconsin State Patrol trooper met with the man at the hospital around two hours after the crash, charges say, and could also "smell an odor of an intoxicant." The trooper said he served a warrant to the man to get a blood sample.
The state patrol says the man was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
Family and friends remember Burley
Blue Plate restaurants include The Freehouse, The Lowry, 3 Squares Restaurant, Longfellow Grill, Edina Grill, Groveland Tap and Highland Grill. They are all located in the Twin Cities area.
"He was my best friend. I don't know how it will ever be the same again," said Stephanie Shimp, co-owner of Blue Plate Restaurant Co.
Shimp worked alongside Burley for more than three decades. The two opened Highland Grill in 1993.
"He was curious; he was a life-long learner and an adventurer," said Shimp.
She said Burley will be remembered as kind and generous. While not warm and fuzzy, she said Burley had a big personality and an unwavering commitment both to guests and employees.
"He lived a really great life and for that, I'll rest a little bit easier tonight," said Shimp.
