Duluth Jury Convicts Man In Fatal Crash Near Fortune Bay Casino

DULUTH, MN — A federal jury in Duluth has found Eric Peterson, 51, of Virginia, Minnesota, guilty of one count of criminal vehicular homicide in the death of Amanda Boshey on the Bois Forte Indian Reservation.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Boshey, 38, was struck and killed Dec. 17, 2024, on Lake Vermilion Reservation Road near the Fortune Bay Casino. The office reported that Peterson hit Boshey while she was walking on foot shortly after he left the casino.

The verdict followed a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Laura M. Provinzino in Duluth.

The jury convicted Peterson on count one, which charged criminal vehicular homicide in a negligent manner while under the influence of alcohol.

The jury acquitted him on count two, which charged criminal vehicular homicide while having an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more as measured within two hours of the time of driving for the same fatality.

Boshey was a member of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa. She is survived by five children, as well as her siblings, parents, and other family and loved ones.

In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen said Peterson had been found guilty on the homicide charge. The U.S. Attorney's Office said the jury concluded Peterson was driving negligently while under the influence of alcohol when Boshey was killed.

"We would like to extend our condolences to Ms. Boshey’s family and the Bois Forte community," said FBI Minneapolis Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson.

"Justice for Ms. Boshey's tragic death would not have been possible without substantial assistance from our tribal, local, and state law enforcement partners. We hope that holding the defendant accountable for their recklessness will provide some sense of justice for those who are forever impacted by this loss."

The case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota State Patrol, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Nett Lake Tribal Police Department, St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office and Virginia Police Department, according to the announcement. The U.S. Attorney's Office said coordination among those agencies was important to identifying and apprehending Peterson and to the resolution of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett S. Fields and David M. Classen prosecuted the case. The announcement did not include a sentencing date or additional court proceedings.