Man pleads guilty in Robbinsdale crash that killed Coon Rapids special education teacher, injured husband
MINNEAPOLIS — A 21-year-old man pleaded guilty to crashing a rented Tesla into a van in Robbinsdale while fleeing police officers, killing a woman and critically injuring her husband in July of 2023.
Quintin Hudson pleaded guilty to one count of fleeing a peace officer resulting in death and one count of fleeing a peace officer resulting in great bodily harm. He is expected to be sentenced to more than 13 years in prison.
According to the criminal complaint, a Robbinsdale police officer on patrol spotted a driver in a white Tesla going 50 mph in a 30 mph zone. He followed the driver for several blocks, and once he was within a car's length, activated his lights.
Hudson, who was driving the Tesla, "rapidly accelerated" to speeds of 70 to 90 mph, the criminal complaint said. The officer deactivated his lights and sirens, but then saw Hudson "fail to stop" at a stop sign at Orchard and 36th avenues.
Hudson continued straight through the intersection at a high rate of speed, slamming into a minivan that had the right of way.
The driver of the minivan — identified as Emily Gerding — was hospitalized and later pronounced dead. Her husband, John Gerding, was critically injured. The two were both special education teachers at Coon Rapids Middle School.
"Emily should still be alive," Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said on Monday. "Mr. Hudson's actions took her from our community, devastated her family, and left her husband, John, with life-threatening injuries. This resolution holds Mr. Hudson accountable and is necessary to protect our community."
Hudson's sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 12.