Man Accused of Causing Crash That Killed Mack Motzko Pleads Guilty

(KNSI) — The Orono man accused of driving drunk in a crash that killed 20-year-old Cathedral High School grad Mack Motzko and another man has pled guilty.

James Blue’s blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit on July 24th, and he was driving nearly 100 miles an hour on a curvy road along Lake Minnetonka when he lost control and careened into a wooded area. Motzko was in the back seat and struggling to breathe when rescuers pulled him out of the mangled Bentley. He died at the hospital. Twenty-four-year-old Sam Schuneman was in the front seat and pronounced dead at the scene. Blue was ejected and found about ten feet away from the car, injured but conscious. Court papers say Blue told officers at the scene he was the driver of the car and that he was sorry. Crushed white pills, green capsules, and THC gummies were allegedly found in his pockets by hospital staff.

A woman at a party at Blue’s house that night said she saw Blue drinking and eating THC gummies. She told police she urged Motzko and Schuneman not to get in the car.

Blue was initially charged with four counts of criminal vehicular homicide. Prosecutors later tacked on two counts of third-degree murder. As part of the deal, Blue pled guilty to two counts of criminal vehicular homicide, and the murder charges will be dismissed. Blue is facing seven and a half years in prison. He was set to go on trial later this month. Blue will be sentenced on May 5th.

Motzko is the son of former St. Cloud State University Hockey Coach Bob Motzko. He coached the Huskies for 13 years before taking the helm of the University of Minnesota Gopher men’s hockey team in 2018.

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