The driver from a fatal pedestrian accident that occurred in Dinkytown, Minneapolis has been charged with criminal-vehicular operation and criminal-vehicular homicide for the death of a 23-year-old University of Minnesota student. The 23-year-old woman and her group of friends were walking home after going out. An allegedly drunken driver hit the young woman and a male friend as the group walked around a construction site.
The group of friends was on their way home after a night out and was walking home around 3:00 A.M. on Sunday October 24. The sidewalk the group was walking on was closed because of a construction project and the group decided to walk along the edge of road near the site. With their backs to oncoming traffic, the 23-year-old woman and her 25-year-old male friend were struck by an oncoming driver who was allegedly drunk. A witness to the accident said the car had been traveling too fast. The driver of the car slammed on the brakes, skidded and continued to slide as the car hit the pedestrians.
A member of the group who had been walking a few steps ahead of the woman said she saw a body fly and that the 23-year-old woman and 25-year-old man were knocked out by the impact. The 25-year-old man regained consciousness but the young woman was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center and was placed on life support. She died at the hospital the next day.
The area where the accident occurred is near a new student housing construction project. The project blocks a portion of the sidewalk and the right lane that runs along the blocked sidewalk is supposed to be closed to traffic. Many drivers in the area ignore the closed traffic sign.
Source: Star Tribune, “Driver Charged in U Student’s Death,” Matt McKinney, 10/28/10
