Driver with revoked license hits 4 pedestrians, killing 1, just minutes apart: Charges

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis driver with a revoked license is facing felony charges for allegedly hitting four pedestrians, one fatally, at two crosswalks just blocks apart. 

Sophia Sullivan, 38, is facing three counts each of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in connection to the hit-and-run incidents on April 30.

Minneapolis police said one of the victims has died from her injuries, while three others sustained non-life-threatening injuries. 

Sullivan is also facing one count of second-degree murder for the death of one victim, and three counts of second-degree murder for attempting to cause the death of the other three victims. 

According to a Department of Public Safety spokesperson, Sullivan had her driving privileges revoked in 2015, and did not have a valid license at the time of this incident. 

Grand Avenue South crash

The backstory:

The first incident happened at around 6:19 p.m. on April 30, at the intersection of 26th Street West and Grand Avenue South. 

The criminal complaint states a driver ran a red light and struck two pedestrians in a crosswalk, a woman in her 40s and a teenage girl. One of the pedestrians sustained a cut to their head while the other suffered minor burn marks, as well as experiencing some bleeding. 

After the incident, the driver continued on without stopping.

Emerson Avenue South crash

Dig deeper:

Just minutes later, the driver allegedly struck another two pedestrians, a man and woman in their 30s, at the intersection of 26th Street West and Emerson Avenue South, just half a mile away from the first incident. 

According to the complaint, the pedestrians entered the crosswalk when a driver accelerated and "plowed directly into them." The man was reportedly thrown about 30 feet, landing near a parked car. 

The woman was thrown onto the hood of the car, and when the driver abruptly braked, she was flung onto the roadway. The complaint alleges the driver appeared to swerve toward the victim, running her over and dragging her beneath the vehicle. 

When the driver turned into a nearby parking lot, the victim became dislodged from under the vehicle and the driver ran over her again with the rear tires, according to the complaint. 

The two victims were transported to the Hennepin County Medical Center.  The man sustained a fractured wrist and multiple scrapes and abrasions. The woman sustained serious injuries, and she was placed on life support. Police said she died from her injuries on May 2. 

Police reported finding Sullivan’s vehicle outside her apartment building. The windshield was smashed and there was what appeared to be "fresh blood" on the vehicle, according to the complaint.  

What's next:

Sullivan remains in custody at Hennepin County Jail. She is scheduled to make her first appearance in court on Monday afternoon.