Sherburne County Man Charged in Fatal I-94 Crash; Complaint Alleges TikTok, Facebook Use Before Collision
Published: July 21st, 2026.
HENNEPIN COUNTY: A Sherburne County man has been charged with felony criminal vehicular homicide after investigators alleged a forensic examination of his cellphone showed activity involving TikTok, Facebook and Safari in the minutes leading up to a fatal crash on Interstate 94.
According to the criminal complaint, investigators allege the phone remained active throughout much of the drive, including a Google search for "how can you stop balding" after the device connected to the vehicle via Bluetooth. Investigators further allege forensic records are consistent with the TikTok application remaining active until moments before the collision.
Jordan Thomas Land, of Sherburne County, is charged in Hennepin County District Court with one count of criminal vehicular homicide by operating a motor vehicle in a grossly negligent manner, a felony.
According to the complaint, Minnesota State Patrol troopers responded at approximately 5:31 a.m. on Oct. 27, 2024, to a crash on eastbound Interstate 94 near the Dayton Parkway exit.
Prosecutors allege the victim, identified only as J.T., had struck a deer several minutes earlier, leaving her disabled Ford Escape stopped in the left-center lane with its hazard lights activated. Investigators allege freeway camera footage showed multiple other drivers were able to safely change lanes and avoid the vehicle before Land's Mazda CX-5 struck it from behind approximately 6½ minutes later, causing J.T.'s death.
According to a State Patrol crash reconstruction report cited in the complaint, investigators estimated the Mazda's impact speed at between 70 and 85 mph and allege there was no evidence Land reacted to the stopped vehicle until approximately 0.133 seconds before impact.
The complaint states Land initially told investigators he was listening to a podcast, had placed his phone in a cubby, and did not know why the crash occurred. After investigators examined his cellphone, the complaint alleges Land acknowledged he may have been using his phone around the time of the incident.
According to a forensic cellphone report referenced in the complaint, investigators allege the device showed repeated Facebook and TikTok activity during the drive, along with a Google search for "how can you stop balding." The complaint further states investigators found no evidence a podcast application was active after the phone connected to the vehicle and allege the records are consistent with the cellphone remaining in use until the time of impact.
The allegations contained in the criminal complaint are solely allegations. Land is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. If convicted, the felony charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine under Minnesota law.