Woman sentenced in fiery crash that left her passenger dead

Mpls woman sentenced for fatal 2024 crash [RAW]

A judge sentenced a Minneapolis woman to prison for her role in a fatal crash that happened on Easter 2024.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis woman was sentenced on Friday in a deadly crash where one person died and another was seriously injured.

Woman sentenced in deadly Hiawatha Ave crash

What they're saying:

Mackenzie Rose Lene, 19, was sentenced to 32 months, or four years, in prison for her role in a deadly crash that killed one of her passengers, 20-year-old Cole Thompson, and seriously injured another. 

After serving four years in prison, Lene will serve 16 months on supervised release. 

Thompson's mother, Amy Lorenzen, provided a victim impact statement during the sentencing, saying, "She [Lene] had the opportunity to show a shred of humanity, to take responsibility in the moment, to call 911 and possibly save my son's life, but she chose to run, and then not cooperate with law enforcement. She took precious minutes from my son that could have saved his life."

 Deadly, fiery crash on Hiawatha Ave

The backstory:

Lene was charged with one count of criminal vehicular homicide for leaving the scene of the crash, and one count of criminal vehicular operation for causing great bodily harm and leaving the scene of a crash.

According to the charges, around 12:30 a.m. on March 31, 2024, police responded to a single car crash on Hiawatha Avenue near 41st Street in Minneapolis. At the scene, the car appeared to have hit a tree, causing it to burst into flames. Officers also found a man lying in the road, who later died.

Another man was standing near the car who suffered serious burns, three broken ribs and a concussion due to the crash.

Court documents say Lene, who was the driver and who the car was registered with, and another passenger, fled the scene once they heard first responders approaching. 

The injured victim told investigators Lene was driving "fast and aggressively" before the crash. 

READ MORE: Minneapolis woman charged in fatal crash, fleeing scene