St. Paul gang violence victim Ray Widstrand hits bicyclist in New Brighton, Minn.

The man who was an innocent victim of a brutal gang attack in St. Paul several years ago was involved in a severe car crash on Sunday.  Ray Widstrand, 26, hit a bicyclist in New Brighton sending the 14-year-old to the hospital with serious injuries.

The incident happened at the on-ramp to Interstate 694 from Silver Lake Road.  According to the State Patrol, Widstrand turned into the 694 on-ramp and struck a bicyclist in the cross walk. It was only when the state patrol released the names that Fox 9 recognized the driver as someone we already knew.

Widstrand was a man in the wrong place at the wrong time. Two summers ago, he was walking home on St. Paul's east side when he stumbled into a mob of people fighting and was knocked to the ground.

Widstrand was knocked to the ground, beaten and stomped. He suffered a severe brain injury that required five surgeries.  Fox 9 was there when he went through intensive therapy to regain his life.

Fast forward to noon on Sunday in New Brighton, and this time it was a teenage bicyclist in the wrong place at the wrong time. A 14-year-old girl was on her bike in the crosswalk when the car struck. She was taken to children’s hospital in Minneapolis with serious injuries.

Widstrand was wearing his seat belt and not hurt, and no alcohol was detected.  More information will be released tomorrow.