Elysian woman killed in UTV crash near Mapleton

An Elysian woman was killed in a UTV crash Thursday night and a man faces criminal charges in her death.

Blue Earth County Sheriff’s deputies responded at 11:41 p.m. to the crash south of Mapleton near the intersection of Co Rd 7 and 105th St. Initial reports indicated that a male was asking for help with a female trapped under a UTV.

Lance Eric Leiferman, 51, of rural Mapleton, the owner, and operator of the UTV, led Mapleton Police – the first to arrive on the scene – to the crashed UTV.

Susan Marie Quiram, 59, of Elysian was found deceased under the machine, according to a Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office press release.

The release says the crash occurred in a grassy, wooded area surrounded by a cornfield.  Initial information shows that Quiram was a passenger in the UTV operated by Leiferman.  The UTV appeared to have driven off a deep washout that caused the machine to roll.

Quiram was not belted, which caused her to be ejected and the UTV landed on top of her, says the release.

Investigators say alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the crash.

Lance Leiferman was arrested for criminal vehicular homicide.  He’s currently booked in the Blue Earth County Jail pending review of the case by the Blue Earth County Attorney’s Office.

The Faribault County Sheriff’s Office and Minnesota Lake Ambulance Service assisted at the scene.