A bicyclist was killed early Monday after an SUV struck them at Hiawatha Avenue and East 35th Street in south Minneapolis, a busy crossroads that usually sees commuter traffic, not squad cars and crime-scene tape, at 3 a.m.
Officers were called to the intersection around that time and found the rider lying in the roadway, unresponsive. First responders could not save the bicyclist, whose name has not yet been released.
According to KARE 11, Minneapolis police arrested a 23-year-old driver at the scene and booked the person on suspicion of criminal vehicular homicide. Authorities have not shared additional information about the driver.
Police have not said what led up to the deadly collision or whether speed or impairment might have been involved. The case remains under active investigation, with homicide and traffic investigators processing evidence from the scene.
Legal implications
In Minnesota, criminal vehicular homicide is a felony. State law says a person who causes a death "as a result of operating a motor vehicle" can "be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than ten years or to payment of a fine of not more than $20,000, or both," according to the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes.
Whether the arrest turns into formal charges will be up to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office after investigators submit their findings.
Hiawatha corridor safety
The crash happened on a well-traveled stretch of Hiawatha Avenue that city planners have flagged for safety upgrades. The City of Minneapolis lists planned intersection and bike-lane improvements in the area, including work at 26th and Hiawatha, as part of a broader push to cut down on serious crashes and make crossings safer for people walking and biking.
The Minneapolis Police Department continues to investigate. Officials have not released further information about the victim or the driver’s status in custody at this time.
