Restaurant Server and Customer Were Killed When Driver Crashed Through Patio Seating

Gabe Harvey via Facebook, GoFundMe

On Sunday September 1, 2024, Kristina Folkerts (30) was working as a server at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Meanwhile, Gabe Harvey (30) was at the restaurant with some of his coworkers from Methodist Hospital ICU. Unfortunately, what started as a normal evening, ended in tragedy.

The outdoor patio at the Park Tavern is located next to the parking lot. Folkerts, Harvey and his friends were all on the patio at the time when a drunk driver pulled into the parking lot. Instead of correctly parking in a parking space, he drove through the gates into the outdoor patio. Folkerts and Harvey didn’t survive the accident. Harvery’s friends were injured.

In response to the tragic accident, the Park Tavern set up a GoFundMe to support Folkerts’ family. The 30-year-old was a mother to three daughters. She is also survived by her husband, father, siblings, grandparents and aunts and uncles. The Park Tavern explained that the money raised in the fundraiser will be put in a trust for Folkerts’ children.

According to her obituary, besides working at Park Tavern, Folkerts was also a photographer. Her family described her as “very passionate about her photography, knew what she wanted and was a visionary in a lot of subjects. She was free spirited and found the beauty in everyone.”

Meanwhile, friends of Harvey set up a GoFundMe to support his partner, Denzel. In the fundraiser, his friends described Harvey as “kind, smart, hilarious, and so incredibly positive.” He was studying nursing and was scheduled to graduate from nursing school in December.

PEOPLE reports that the drunk driver was a 56-year-old man named Steven Frane Bailey. He was arrested and is being held without bail. He is charged with criminal vehicular homicide.

Watch the video below to learn more about this tragic accident and to see where it took place.