Rodney Werk and Shayleigh McKay Charged With Felony Hit-and-Run, DWI After Fatal Roseau County Crash That Killed Motorcyclist Paul Donahue on County Road 124.

ROSEAU COUNTY, MINN. — A rural intersection in northwest Minnesota became the scene of a devastating fatality on the evening of May 7, and authorities say the tragedy was compounded not by one, but by two drivers who fled — one of whom allegedly stopped, spoke with the at-fault driver, and then drove away without ever calling 911. The Minnesota State Patrol and Roseau County Sheriff’s Office have now filed felony charges against both individuals: 53‑year‑old Rodney Werk of Roseau, and 21‑year‑old Shayleigh McKay, also of Roseau.

The victim has been identified as Paul Donahue, 49, of Badger, Minnesota — a small community approximately 15 miles southeast of Roseau in the state’s northernmost tier, just south of the Canadian border. Donahue was riding a motorcycle at approximately 60 miles per hour when he collided with the driver’s side of a white Chevrolet pickup truck at the intersection of County Road 124 and 420th Avenue. He was pronounced dead at the scene despite life-saving efforts by first responders.

But what happened in the minutes before and after the crash has shocked even veteran law enforcement officers: a witness saw both vehicles leave the scene, and one driver — McKay — allegedly spoke directly with Werk before departing without reporting the collision that killed a man.

The Initial Response: A Motorcyclist Down, No Other Vehicles Present

According to court records obtained by Valley News Live and other regional media, the Roseau County Dispatch Center received a call at approximately 8:24 p.m. Central Time on May 7 reporting a serious crash involving a motorcycle at the intersection of County Road 124 and 420th Avenue. The caller was a passing motorist who had come upon the scene moments after the collision.

Minnesota State Patrol troopers and Roseau County sheriff’s deputies arrived within minutes. What they found was harrowing: a severely damaged motorcycle, its frame bent and components scattered across the gravel and asphalt, and the body of a middle-aged man lying unresponsive in the roadway. The man was later identified as Paul Donahue.

First responders immediately began CPR, but the extent of Donahue’s injuries — blunt-force trauma consistent with a high-speed impact with a multi-ton vehicle — was catastrophic. He was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no other injured parties present because, by the time law enforcement arrived, both the white pickup truck and a red car seen at the scene were already gone.

The Witness Account: A Truck, a Red Car, and a Conversation

The investigation took a critical turn when troopers interviewed a witness who had been in the area around the time of the crash. That witness provided a detailed and damning account:

· The witness observed a white Chevrolet pickup stopped at the intersection immediately after the crash. The pickup had significant damage to its driver’s side — matching the point of impact with Donahue’s motorcycle.
· A red car then pulled up behind the white pickup. The driver of the red car got out, walked up to the white truck, and engaged in a brief conversation with the pickup driver through the driver’s side window.
· After speaking for what the witness described as a short period, both drivers returned to their respective vehicles. The red car then drove away, followed shortly thereafter by the white pickup. Neither driver contacted emergency services. Neither driver remained on scene to render aid to the dying motorcyclist.

The witness also provided an additional piece of crucial information: the same red car had been seen “running around” the area earlier in the evening, suggesting the driver may have been local and familiar with the rural road network.

Identifying Rodney Werk: The White Pickup Driver

Using witness descriptions, license plate reader data, and public tips, investigators quickly identified the white Chevrolet pickup as belonging to Rodney Werk, 53, of Roseau. Werk is a longtime resident of Roseau County, an area known for its agricultural and manufacturing economy, including a major Polaris Industries plant.

When troopers located Werk and his vehicle, they observed damage consistent with a motorcycle collision. Werk was subsequently arrested and transported for further evaluation.

According to the criminal complaint filed May 11 in Roseau County District Court, Werk is charged with:

· Criminal Vehicular Homicide (felony)
· Felony Hit-and-Run (failure to stop at a collision involving death)
· Two gross-misdemeanor counts of Driving While Impaired (DWI)

A preliminary breath test administered to Werk shortly after his detention registered his blood‑alcohol concentration (BAC) at .151 — nearly twice Minnesota’s legal limit of .08. But the case against Werk does not stop there. Prosecutors also discovered that Werk has a prior DWI conviction from 2019 in Red Lake County, Minnesota. This prior offense enhances the current charges, potentially increasing mandatory minimum sentences and elevating the DWI counts from misdemeanors to gross misdemeanors.

Under Minnesota Statute 169A.20, a person commits criminal vehicular homicide if they cause the death of another while operating a motor vehicle in a grossly negligent manner or while under the influence of alcohol. A BAC of .151 combined with leaving the scene of a fatal crash is likely to be prosecuted aggressively.

Identifying Shayleigh McKay: The Red Car Driver

The red car described by the witness was traced to Shayleigh McKay, 21, of Roseau. McKay is significantly younger than Werk, and her role in the events of May 7 has raised serious legal and moral questions.

McKay is charged in a separate complaint with:

· Felony Failure to Stop at a Collision Involving Death
· Two gross-misdemeanor DWI counts

Here is where the narrative becomes even more troubling. According to the complaint, a Roseau County deputy stopped McKay at approximately 9:36 p.m. — just over an hour after the initial 8:24 p.m. crash report. The deputy observed that McKay was driving her red Kia with no headlights or taillights on in the dark rural conditions, a clear traffic violation. The deputy also noted signs of intoxication, including bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and the odor of an alcoholic beverage.

McKay was asked to perform field sobriety tests, which she failed according to the complaint. She was then transported to the Roseau County Jail, where a breath test yielded a BAC of .16 — exactly double the legal limit.

In a subsequent interview with investigators, McKay provided a version of events that prosecutors are likely to challenge. McKay admitted that she had been at the intersection of County Road 124 and 420th Avenue. She said she saw a truck on the side of the road and stopped to ask the driver (later identified as Rodney Werk) if he was okay. She claimed she asked Werk whether she should call police. According to McKay, Werk told her he didn’t need help and didn’t want law enforcement called. She said she then left and continued driving.

Crucially, McKay told investigators that she did not see a motorcycle at the scene and did not know that a crash had occurred involving a fatality. However, the witness account contradicts this: the witness saw McKay get out of her car and walk to the driver’s side of Werk’s pickup, which had fresh, obvious damage from colliding with Donahue’s motorcycle. A reasonable person, prosecutors will argue, would have seen the damage, asked further questions, or at the very least called 911.

Even if McKay genuinely did not see Donahue’s body or the wrecked motorcycle in the dark, Minnesota law imposes a clear duty upon any driver involved in or who witnesses a collision resulting in injury or death: stop immediately, remain at the scene, and provide reasonable assistance, including calling emergency services. Driving away, especially after speaking to the at-fault driver, constitutes a felony.

The Legal Landscape: Minnesota’s Hit-and-Run and Vehicular Homicide Statutes

Minnesota has some of the strictest hit-and-run laws in the Upper Midwest. Under Minnesota Statute 169.09, a driver involved in a crash that results in death must stop at the scene, provide their name and insurance information, and render reasonable aid. Failure to do so is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

For Werk, the criminal vehicular homicide charge (Minn. Stat. 609.2112) carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine if convicted. The prior DWI conviction from 2019 means he faces an enhanced sentencing guideline range and likely mandatory jail time.

For McKay, the felony failure-to-stop charge carries up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine, though first-time offenders often receive lesser sentences. However, the DWI charges add additional penalties, including license revocation, fines, and possible electronic home monitoring.

Both Werk and McKay are currently being held on orders of detention pending their initial court appearances, meaning a judge has determined that they pose a potential flight risk or danger to the community. Their arraignments are expected within the coming weeks in Roseau County District Court.

Paul Donahue: The Victim

Behind the legal proceedings and tragic details is a human being. Paul Donahue, 49, of Badger, Minnesota, was known to friends and family as an avid motorcyclist who enjoyed the open roads of the northern plains. Badger is a small town — fewer than 500 residents — located in Roseau County, and Donahue’s death has sent shockwaves through the community.

While Donahue’s family has not yet released a public statement, neighbors and friends have begun sharing memories on social media. “Paul loved his bike more than anything,” wrote one friend. “He was careful, always wearing a helmet and high-vis gear. He didn’t deserve to die alone on a dark road while two drunk drivers left him there.”

Donahue was reportedly traveling at approximately 60 miles per hour when he struck Werk’s white Chevrolet pickup. It remains unclear whether Werk failed to yield at the intersection, pulled out in front of Donahue, or whether Donahue had the right-of-way. The Minnesota State Patrol’s crash reconstruction team is still analyzing skid marks, vehicle damage, and witness statements to determine the precise sequence of events.

What is indisputable is that Werk’s pickup and Donahue’s motorcycle collided at a combined speed that made survival unlikely. And what followed — two drivers leaving, one after a conversation, neither calling 911 — turned a tragic accident into a felony case.

The Role of Alcohol: A Deadly Common Thread

Both Werk and McKay were legally intoxicated at the time of the crash and subsequent stop, according to the complaints. Werk’s BAC of .151 and McKay’s .16 are well above the .08 limit, and both individuals showed behavioral signs of impairment.

Investigators have not yet determined where Werk and McKay were drinking before the crash, whether they were together, or whether they knew each other prior to that evening. The fact that McKay stopped at the scene specifically to speak with Werk suggests at least a passing acquaintance — or perhaps she simply recognized a fellow local resident in distress. Either way, alcohol appears to have clouded both of their judgments.

In Minnesota, a first-time DWI with a BAC over .16 is considered an aggravated offense, carrying higher fines and longer license revocations. For Werk, with a prior conviction, the penalties are even steeper.

Community Reaction: Anger and Grief in Roseau County

Roseau County, located in Minnesota’s northwest corner, is a sparsely populated region where residents pride themselves on looking out for one another. The idea that two people would leave a dying man on the road without calling for help has provoked outrage.

“This isn’t who we are,” one local resident told a reporter. “You stop. You call 911. Even if you’ve been drinking, you stay and face the consequences. What happened here is cowardice, plain and simple.”

Others have expressed sympathy for Donahue’s family. “Imagine getting that phone call — that your husband, your father, your friend was killed in a crash, and then you find out that two drunk people saw him lying there and just drove away,” another resident said. “It’s unforgivable.”

What Happens Next

Both Rodney Werk and Shayleigh McKay remain in custody pending their initial appearances in Roseau County District Court. A judge will set bail conditions, which are likely to include no driving, no alcohol consumption, and possibly electronic monitoring if released.

The Minnesota State Patrol continues to investigate the crash itself. A final report will determine whether Werk failed to yield, ran a stop sign, or otherwise caused the collision. That report could also influence whether additional charges — such as manslaughter or negligent operation — are added.

Meanwhile, Paul Donahue’s family is planning funeral services in Badger. They have requested privacy during this difficult time but have thanked first responders and the state patrol for their thorough investigation.

A Preventable Tragedy

The deaths of motorcyclists on rural roads are tragically common. According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, motorcycle fatalities have averaged over 60 per year in the past decade, with alcohol involvement in nearly 40% of cases. But what makes the Roseau County crash particularly haunting is not just the alcohol — it’s the abandonment.

Rodney Werk chose to flee. Shayleigh McKay chose to drive away after a conversation. And Paul Donahue died alone on County Road 124, waiting for help that never came — because the only two people who knew he was there were intoxicated and worried about themselves.

The case remains under investigation. Anyone with additional information about the crash is urged to contact the Minnesota State Patrol or the Roseau County Sheriff’s Office.