Denise Ethyl Lagou faces felony charges after police say she struck a man and his dog with her car in Monticello and left the scene. (Supplied)
MONTICELLO, MInn. (FOX 9) - A St. Cloud woman faces felony charges after police say she struck a man and his dog with her car in Monticello and left the scene, according to a complaint filed in Wright County District Court.
Monticello hit-and-run crash
What we know:
Authorities say the crash happened at 7:32 a.m. on Friday, July 10, at the intersection of County Road 18 NE and Oak Ridge Drive.
According to the complaint, a man was walking his 14-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, Jack, when both were hit by a car that did not stop.
Dig deeper:
A Wright County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded and found the man in the road with serious injuries and his dog deceased at his feet. The victim told police the car that hit them was a dark sedan that kept going east on County Road 18.
A witness at the scene did not see the crash, but saw the victim in the road and a dark sedan leaving the area.
The victim was taken to the hospital and treated for fractures to his back, ribs and right hand, which required surgery. Investigators found a blue side mirror at the scene, traced it to a Subaru Forester, and reviewed surveillance video showing a blue Subaru Forester in the area just before the crash.
The complaint states further video showed the same vehicle later with a broken side mirror, matching the part found at the scene.
Detectives identified the vehicle as registered to Denise Ethyl Lagou of St. Cloud, and surveillance from her workplace showed her arriving minutes after the crash, inspecting damage to her car before going inside.
Driver allegedly thought she hit deer
The backstory:
The complaint states when questioned by police on Monday, July 13, Lagou admitted she was driving in Monticello that morning, but said she thought she hit a deer. She then invoked her right to counsel.
Investigators also spoke with a co-worker who said she was on the phone with Lagou at the time of the crash and heard a loud sound.
The co-worker said Lagou was upset and claimed she hit something that fell from a truck in front of her. Detectives say Lagou did not stop to check on the victim, provide information or notify police, as required by law.
The maximum penalty for the felony charge is five years in prison, a $10,000 fine or both.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not released the victim’s name or provided an update on his current condition.
The Source: Criminal charges filed in Wright County District Court.