Good Samaritans run to help after deadly crash in St. Paul, Minn.
1 person is dead after a crash in St. Paul Thursday night. (St. Paul Police Department / FOX 9)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Neighbors and others in the area ran to help Thursday night after a two-car crash in a St. Paul, Minnesota neighborhood.
The crash left one person dead and three others injured. Police say a white car with six people inside was driving the wrong way down Lower Afton Road when it hit another vehicle head-on near Morningside Circle.
Officers say an 18-year-old woman inside the white car was thrown from the vehicle and died. She was identified Friday as Sulekha M. Abdi of St. Peter, Minnesota.
Investigators said they were still working to determine who was driving the white car and the circumstances of the crash. But, moments after the two vehicles collided, people who lived near the crash scene ran to help.
"We were just listening to music, and then I just see him getting out of the car, and fall down, and I’m like 'something's going on,'" explained Billy North. "Something's going on. My roommate opened the garage door, and we just came in and ran down and tried to act as fast as we could. I’ve seen a few accidents, but nothing like that before."
"I heard there were upwards of five paramedic rigs that were transported to the area to try and help transport people to the hospital," explained Sgt. Mike Ernster of the St. Paul Police Department. "That is a very large operation, trying to triage people and trying to take the most crucial to the hospital so that life-saving efforts can be started as soon as possible."
Before the paramedics arrived, Billy, his roommate, and a number of others from the area did what they could to help those involved.
"There was this one girl that kept coming up to me and hugging me and saying 'do I look okay?'" North recalled. "'Do I look okay?' And I said you’re fine. We just need to get you some help. I’ll never forget that."
Marcus Williams was also on his way home when he saw the crash.
"I think people should really take into account how they’re driving on their roads," he said. "At any moment an accident can happen, and it can be fatal.”
"I called all my family last night and said they stay off your cell phones," North added. "This is real. Even though you don’t see it everyday it's real.”
Along with the death and three serious injuries, four others suffered minor injuries.