Man dead, woman injured after car strikes tree in St. Paul

One person was killed and another was injured after a vehicle crashed into a tree in St. Paul early Monday morning.

At about 2 a.m., officers responded to the 1300 block of White Bear Avenue on a report of a crash, according to the St. Paul Police Department. Witnesses reported the vehicle struck a tree and was smoking.

Officers arrived and located a 43-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman inside the vehicle. The man was gravely injured, and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

The woman was trapped inside the vehicle, but firefighters were able to remove her. She was transported to Regions Hospital, where she is in critical but stable condition.

Police said it is unknown whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash. The crash remains under investigation.