ROSEAU COUNTY, MN — Law enforcement authorities in Minnesota have initiated felony legal proceedings following a fatal multi-vehicle collision that claimed the life of 49-year-old Paul Donahue. The incident occurred on the evening of May 7, 2026, at the intersection of County Road 124 and 420th Avenue. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, emergency personnel arrived at approximately 8:24 p.m. to find Donahue unresponsive following a high-speed impact between his motorcycle and a pickup truck. Despite immediate CPR and lifesaving efforts, Donahue was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Accident reconstruction specialists determined that Donahue was traveling at approximately 60 mph when his motorcycle struck the driver’s side of a white Chevrolet pickup truck. The investigation into the crash has led to serious criminal charges against two local residents. The driver of the pickup, 53-year-old Rodney Werk, faces charges of criminal vehicular homicide, felony hit-and-run, and gross misdemeanor DWI. Prosecutors allege that Werk’s blood alcohol concentration was .151 at the time of the incident.
Additionally, 21-year-old Shayleigh McKay, the driver of a second vehicle involved, is facing felony charges for failing to stop at a collision involving death and DWI counts. Authorities stopped McKay shortly after the crash and reported a breath test result of .16. While McKay claimed she was unaware of the fatality when she left the scene, investigators are continuing to piece together the exact sequence of the suspects’ actions following the collision.
The Roseau County District Court is currently overseeing the case as both defendants remain in custody. As the legal process unfolds, the community of Minnesota is left to mourn the loss of Paul Donahue, whose life was tragically ended in an incident that authorities have characterized as a devastating and preventable tragedy.
