Minneapolis woman sentenced for driving into crowd, killing teen and injuring 5 others

Downtown hit-and-run charges filed after crash

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has announced charges in a fatal hit-and-run crash that took the life of a 16-year-old girl over the weekend.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minneapolis woman accused of driving into a crowd, leaving a 16-year-old girl dead and several others injured, was sentenced on Tuesday. 

Driver sentenced

What happened:

Latalia Margalli, 23, was charged with one count of second-degree murder with intent and five counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon for her alleged role in a fatal hit-and-run incident in downtown Minneapolis on Sept. 14, 2024. 

She entered a guilty plea in May to one count of second-degree unintentional murder and five counts of second-degree assault. 

A Hennepin County judge handed down a sentence of 285 months (23.75 years), with credit for 284 days served, for the second-degree murder charge, and consecutive sentences for the assault charges.

What they're saying:

"My thoughts are with De’Miaya’s family, and all others impacted by this tragic incident," Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement. "Ms. Margalli chose to drive into the crowd, taking De’Miaya’s life and irreparably harming so many people. This sentence holds Ms. Margalli accountable and protects our community."

Fatal downtown hit-and-run 

Family mourns 16-year-old killed in Mpls hit-and-run

The family of the 16-year-old girl killed in the downtown Minneapolis hit-and-run respond to the tragic incident. FOX 9's Mike Manzoni has more.

The backstory:

The crash happened on the morning of Sept. 14 near 5th Street North and Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis.

Charges allege Margalli and her friends got into an altercation with the 16-year-old victim and her friends, which ultimately turned physical. At some point, Margalli allegedly got back into her SUV and started driving in reverse, hitting another person with the car door in the process. 

While the victim was on the ground fighting with someone, Margalli reportedly started heading the wrong way on 5th Street and "drove directly into the crowd of people, without braking, and struck numerous people, including [the] victim," the complaint reads. 

Margalli then fled the scene but was followed by a witness, and authorities eventually took her into custody.

De’Miaya Broome, 16, died from her injuries at the hospital. Five others were also injured, including two 14-year-old girls, a 24-year-old man, a 28-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman. Their injuries ranged from bruises to broken legs and a head injury, according to court records.