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BRAINERD, Minn. 鈥� A Fort Ripley man accused of the hit-and-run murder his wife, 49-year-old Angela Marie McClelland, has pleaded guilty to the crime.

Tony James McClelland, 47, was charged on July 12 with felony second-degree murder with intent but no premeditation, felony first-degree manslaughter and two counts of criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the death of his wife on a frontage road near Highway 371 in Fort Ripley Township south of Brainerd.

Contributed / Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office

Tony McClelland filed a guilty plea on Wednesday, Feb. 7, in Crow Wing County District Court.

In the plea, McClelland admitted guilt to criminal vehicular homicide with negligence under the influence of alcohol. The crime carries a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $20,000.

鈥淚 am pleading guilty to count three, criminal vehicular homicide, operate with negligence under the influence of alcohol 鈥� because I committed the following acts in Crow Wing County, Minnesota: I negligently caused the death of my wife by driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol,鈥� the plea petition read.

Crow Wing County Attorney Don Ryan said he would not comment on the case until after sentencing.

McClelland鈥檚 attorney, Jack Rice, did not return a call for comment by Wednesday evening.

McClelland鈥檚 bond or bail was set at $2 million without conditions; or $500,000 with conditions. On July 28, 2023, he posted a $500,000 bond and is not in custody. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 10 in Crow Wing County District Court.

According to the criminal complaint filed against Tony McClelland, the Crow Wing County Sheriff鈥檚 Office received a report at 5:41 a.m. June 25, 2023, of an unresponsive woman lying on Legend Lane. Responding deputies found the woman suffered significant trauma to her skull and had abrasions on her body consistent with being struck by a vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

While attempting to identify the victim, investigators learned Angela McClelland was reported missing by her daughter and confirmed the victim found on Legend Lane was Angela McClelland.

Investigators also learned Tony McClelland and Angela McClelland attended a birthday party at a residence in Fort Ripley the night before, arriving together between 4:30 and 6 p.m. and leaving about 1:30-2 a.m. in a Ford Explorer.

Law enforcement officers spoke with Tony McClelland at the residence he shared with Angela McClelland on Sleepy Hollow Road in Fort Ripley Township. When asked if he knew why officers were there, McClelland said, 鈥測up,鈥� according to the criminal complaint, then proceeded to 鈥渧ent about how (Angela McClelland) had 鈥榯hrown a hissy fit 鈥� just like every other 鈥� day.鈥� 鈥�

Tony McClelland said he and Angela McClelland argued while driving home after the party so he dropped her off along Matte Road, which is west of where Angela McClelland鈥檚 body was found on Legend Lane. He said he then drove home, went to bed and didn鈥檛 realize Angela McClelland hadn鈥檛 returned home until the next morning.

After getting a search warrant for the vehicle and cellphones, investigators inspected the Ford Explorer and found blood, tissue and a single strand of hair under the body of the vehicle. Tony McClelland told investigators they had not hit any animals with the vehicle recently.

When asked specifically about the blood found under the vehicle, he responded Angela McClelland was being belligerent and he was worried she would put him in the ditch, according to the criminal complaint. When asked if the blood found under the vehicle would come back as Angela McClelland鈥檚 blood, Tony McClelland said something to the effect of, 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 tell ya if it will be her blood.鈥�

DNA testing of blood matched Angela McClelland鈥檚 blood. Review of forensic data also contradicted Tony McClelland鈥檚 version of events about what roads he was driving the Ford Explorer after leaving the party. The data showed at 1:53 a.m. June 25, the vehicle was traveling on Legend Lane, stopped and then reversed at speeds up to 20 mph to where Angela McClelland鈥檚 body was located and stopped again.

The vehicle then left the scene, reaching speeds over 100 mph before returning to their home on Sleepy Hollow Road.

On July 10, 2023, investigators questioned Tony McClelland about the forensic data placing him at the scene and suspected time of Angela McClelland鈥檚 death. Tony McClelland responded Angela McClelland had 鈥済otten mad at him for looking at another woman and was grabbing the steering wheel,鈥� according to the criminal complaint, but then said, 鈥� 鈥業 don鈥檛 remember much after that,鈥� claiming he 鈥榳as pretty drunk, too.鈥� 鈥�

Deputies then placed Tony McClelland under arrest.