Proctor Man Sentenced to Stayed 48 Months, Probation for Vehicular Homicide

Jesse James Kowalczak, 22, of Proctor, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, stayed for five years of probation after pleading guilty to criminal vehicular homicide for a crash that killed Leah Sarko and severely injured her minor son. St. Louis County District Court Judge Nicole Hopps imposed the sentence on January 23, 2026, with specific local incarceration and probation conditions designed to keep the case under supervision for the next five years.

The Minnesota State Patrol investigation found Kowalczak was driving on South Ugstad Junction Road in heavy fog at a speed between 72 and 89 miles per hour when his car struck the vehicle driven by Sarko, flipping her vehicle and causing fatal and severe injuries. Kowalczak entered a guilty plea to Count 1 - Criminal Vehicular Homicide – Operating a Vehicle in a Grossly Negligent Manner. The State agreed to dismiss Count 2, a lesser charge of Criminal Vehicular Operation. The plea agreement allowed the defense to seek a departure from the presumed sentence under the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines; the State did not support the departure but refrained from submitting argument.

Under the terms of the sentence, Kowalczak must serve 364 days of local incarceration at the St. Louis County Jail or Northeast Regional Corrections Center. That 364-day term will be divided into five periods of incarceration, to begin annually on the anniversary date of the May 13, 2022, crash for the next five years. The structure leaves the 48-month prison term imposed but stayed, subject to probation compliance and any future violations.

County Attorney Kim Maki emphasized the human toll of the crash. “Mr. Kowalczak’s grossly negligent act stole a mother and community member from us,” said Maki. “In addition, it left lasting physical and mental injuries to Ms. Sarko’s son.” The case was prosecuted by Duluth Criminal Division Head Nate Stumme, and the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office credited the Minnesota State Patrol for a dedicated and diligent investigation.

For residents of St. Louis County, the sentence underscores two local concerns: traffic safety on rural roads during hazardous conditions and how courts apply Minnesota sentencing guidelines in severe, high-speed crashes. The split schedule of local incarceration tied to the crash anniversary is a relatively rare supervision tool that keeps enforcement and community memory connected to the original harm.

The case leaves surviving family members and neighbors facing long-term consequences from the loss and injuries. It also places probation supervision and public accountability at the center of post-conviction enforcement in this community. For more information about the county attorney’s office, contact St. Louis County Attorney Kim Maki at County Attorney's Office, 100 North Fifth Avenue West, Room 501, Duluth, MN 55802, phone (218) 726-2323. Media inquiries may be directed to Wade Backstrom at (218) 726-2323 or backstromw@stlouiscountymn.gov.