OLIVIA — A settlement conference is set Aug. 20 for a 38-year-old rural Franklin man facing charges of felony second-degree manslaughter and two counts of felony criminal vehicular homicide in Renville County District Court.

Russel A. Doucette, 62657 430th St., Franklin, was charged with second-degree manslaughter culpable negligence creating unreasonable risk; criminal vehicular homicide driver who causes collision leaving scene and failure to notify by quickest means possible July 27, 2017.

According to court documents, a jury trial earlier scheduled for July 24-26 was canceled July 2. A settlement conference was set for 2 p.m. Aug. 20.

According to the complaint, Doucette and Randy L. Oletzke were at a farmhouse where Doucette lived when Doucette tried to drive away sometime between dusk and midnight and Oletzke was outside interfering with his ability to leave the residence.

Doucette later said he just wanted to get away from Oletzke who stood in front of a truck Doucette was driving.

Doucette told investigators in a recorded statement that he was trying to make a loop around the property to get back on the driveway when Oletzke stood in front of the truck. Doucette drove one way, then quickly reversed direction when he felt the truck fishtail and lose traction.

Doucette said he left the farmhouse at speeds of 70-75 miles per hour, went to a neighbor’s residence, consumed several mixed drinks and “felt like throwing up.” In addition, he said he was pretty sure he ran over Oletzke.

At 9:15 p.m. July 28, (the next night), Doucette contacted Renville County law enforcement and said he collision happened about 24 hours earlier and that he believed Oletzke was dead.

Officers responded to the scene, located Oletzke’s body and confirmed he was dead.

Oletzke’s body was transported to the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office where the Renville County Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy. Dr. A. Quinn Strobl found that Oletzke’s skull was crushed, consistent with being run over by a motor vehicle.

Strobl opined that Oletzke would not have been able to move himself after being run over and noted a broken right femur possibly due to motor vehicle impact.

Scene examination indicates Oletzke was moved after he died, so his head injury was positioned to line up with a pre-existing tire track from a mobile home. Oletzke’s clothing was pushed up in a manner suggesting he was moved after he died.

Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.