2 Minn. women driving stolen Coon Rapids vehicle killed in Iowa crash

Two women from Anoka Co., driving a car stolen from Coon Rapids were killed when the car was involved in a crash in Iowa. A Coon Rapids man is now being charged for his role in the initial theft of the vehicle, which was reported stolen on Dec. 1. The two women have since been identified as Tiffany Swenson, 19, and Tara Nevins, 30.

On Dec. 1, a 36-year-old woman reported her 2010 Kio Rio had been stolen from her garage in Coon Rapids, according to the criminal complaint. Six days later, on Dec. 7, detectives were told by the Iowa State Patrol the car had been involved in a fatal crash in Iowa on Dec. 5. The two women inside the car were killed in the accident.

A receipt from the Coon Rapids Walmart found inside the car led police to identify James Allen Hage, 31, from surveillance video of the parking lot on Dec. 2. The video shows one of the two women killed in the crash getting into car with Hage.

A source told police she saw an argument break out between Hage and the two deceased women at the Loftus Center in Coon Rapids on Dec. 4. The source believed the two women drove off in the stolen car without his permission.

Hage is being charged with receiving stolen property.  He is also facing additional charges for controlled substance offenses.