Man accused in Eagan hit-and-run claimed 'thing' jumped out in front of him: charges
Image shows authorities responding to a fatal pedestrian crash in Eagan. (FOX 9)
EAGAN, Minn. (FOX 9) - The man now facing charges in a deadly hit-and-run crash in Eagan, which claimed the life of a 40-year-old woman, has three previous convictions for driving while intoxicated, court records show.
The criminal complaint shows that, while speaking with police after his arrest, the suspect admitted he hit something on Cliff Road but tried to claim the victim jumped in front of him.
Eagan crash
The backstory:
Eagan police responded to the scene of a deadly hit-and-run crash in the early morning hours of Saturday, March 7 near Cliff and Nicols roads.
At the scene, police found the victim, 40-year-old Leslie Youngberg, face down on Cliff Road. She was rushed to a hospital where she was ultimately pronounced dead.
Timeline:
Using car parts left behind at the crash scene and cameras, officers were able to find a white Honda CRV with heavy front-end damage belonging to a man identified as Rolando Miranda Martinez.
Police watched Miranda Martinez's home and around 11:15 a.m. on March 7, they spotted him getting into an Uber.
At that point, they made a traffic stop and arrested Miranda Martinez.
Suspect tried to claim victim jumped in front of him
What they're saying:
In the back of the squad, officers say Miranda Martinez made "spontaneous comments" about the crash, including: "one person in the road," and "I forgot to tell them, and I forgot the person. That’s one person in the road. It’s a lady."
Back at the police station, police say Miranda Martinez admitted to hitting something with his CRV on Cliff Road around 2 a.m. – the approximate time that Youngberg was hit. Officers said Miranda Martinez said he was driving back from a bar in Minneapolis, but denied he had been drinking.
Miranda Martinez claimed "a thing" jumped out in front of him and tried to claim that "it" was drunk or homeless. Despite the crash causing significant damage to his windshield and front end, Miranda Martinez said he went home because he was scared.
What's next:
Police have obtained search warrants for Miranda Martinez's phone and a blood sample. Results are pending from the blood sample.
Miranda Martinez is currently charged with leaving the scene of a collision resulting in death (driver did not cause).
Dig deeper:
Miranda Martinez has a history of drunk driving, including three past offenses for driving while intoxicated between 2012 and 2023.