Suspect in south Minneapolis crash that killed 5 in custody
MINNEAPOLIS -- The person suspected of causing a crash that killed five young women is in custody at the Hennepin County Jail.
WCCO News is not naming the man until he's charged with a crime. Prosecutors have until Wednesday at noon to do so.
Minneapolis police say the driver was going roughly 100 mph and ran a red light at the intersection of Lake Street and Second Avenue Friday night.
That's when he allegedly slammed into a car carrying five friends out shopping for a friend's wedding: Sabiriin Ali, 17, who had recently graduated from Edina High School; Sahra Gesaade, 20, who attended the University of Minnesota Rochester; Salma Abdikadir, 20, who studied at Normandale Community College and taught Sunday school; Sagal Hersi, 19, who was a student at Minneapolis College; and Siham Adam, 19, who studied at the University of Minnesota.
The search warrant says a trooper initially clocked the driver going 95 mph in a 55 zone. And the SUV he was driving was rented at the airport just a half hour before he struck and killed five young women.
WCCO News legal analyst Joe Tamburino says prosecutors have two options when it comes to bringing charges: criminal vehicular homicide, or a more serious charge of third-degree murder.
"You need some type of reckless driving, some type of negligence on the part of the driver where they really don't care what they're doing," Tamburino said.
If convicted, the difference could be four decades of jail time.
"I think in a serious case like this, where you have someone with a criminal history, in fact just several years ago caused a horrific crash in California, he's on parole in California, not to charge the top counts as murder three, I see that as really what the charges would be in this case," he said.
Nearly five years ago, the same driver was speeding when he struck a woman with a car and fled. She was in a coma for 20 days.
"The case sent shockwaves through the office, and it's just so horrific," said Santa Barbara County District Attorney John T. Savrnoch.
In that case, he was sentenced to eight years, but was released earlier this year for good behavior after participating in a program where prisoners can work as firefighters to put out wildfires in California.
We've learned the driver does have a valid Minnesota driver's license. Officers said he tried to run away from the scene but they arrested him nearby. Investigators believe he was driving under the influence.
More than a thousand people came to the Dar Al Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington Monday afternoon to pay their respects and honor the young women's memories.
An online fundraiser for their families has raised more than $400,000.
