New York Mills Teen Accused of Drunk Driving Charged in Fatal Crash

A New York Mills teenager is charged with three counts of criminal vehicular homicide after he admitted to drinking and driving before a fatal crash near Wadena on Tuesday night.

18-year-old Blake Unger of Bluffton died at the scene of the crash. Izak Schermerhorn, also age 18, was charged in Otter Tail County Court on Thursday.

According to the criminal complaint in the case, Schermerhorn told police he drank three or four Mike’s Hard Lemonades, and a breath test at the scene showed he had a blood alcohol concentration of .103%. He told an Otter Tail County deputy that he had picked up Unger and wanted to show off the sound of his exhaust because he had modified his catalytic converter.

Schermerhorn had reportedly been intentionally sliding around the road before the crash and was not able to correct the vehicle when it went into the ditch. Unger was found pinned under the vehicle on the passenger’s side following the crash.

Schermerhorn said he had abstained from alcohol for almost a year due to issues with alcohol but decided to celebrate because he was graduating from high school.

Unger was a senior at New York Mills High School and had recently graduated. He was the school’s homecoming king and a star football player and wrestler. In wrestling, Unger posted over 100 career wins and wrestled in the state tournament, and on Wednesday, the New York Mills Football Facebook page posted a video of his game-sealing interception in a 20-14 overtime win over Breckenridge.

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help the Unger family, and it had already raised nearly $21,000 as of Thursday evening. A memorial service for Unger is scheduled for June 4th at 1 p.m. at New York Mills Secondary School.