Respondent bought kegs of beer. The three went to some railroad tracks to continue drinking. The train crew saw no one on or near the tracks. The crew sounded the horn and braked, but the boys were hit and killed instantly. The autopsy revealed that Brandon Dahl had a blood alcohol level of .26 and Lucas Mandt had a blood alcohol level of .18.
Forensic evidence suggests that neither boy had been beaten, dragged, or placed on the tracks.
No one restrained respondent, he never attempted to leave, and he did not ask for an attorney. After the half-hour interview, the police drove respondent back to school and respondent consented to a search of his car. The police called the school liaison officer, a Brainerd police officer, to make arrangements to pick respondent up before he went in to the party. The liaison officer arranged for respondent to be transported for questioning, and then returned to the party after questioning. Officers Larson and Tollefson brought respondent to a police annex located across the street from the law enforcement center and interviewed him there.