Two separate crashes on St. Paul streets Tuesday night left one man dead and another fighting for his life, according to the St. Paul Police Department. The collisions happened about an hour apart on residential roads and kicked off an active police investigation. In both incidents, the drivers stayed at the scene and are cooperating with investigators, police said.
What Police Say About The Crashes
According to the St. Paul Police Department, the first crash happened around 8:30 p.m. at the intersection of Seventh Street West and Watson Avenue. A man crossing Seventh Street outside a marked crosswalk was hit by a vehicle and later pronounced dead at the scene.
Roughly an hour later, just before 9:30 p.m., officers were called to the 700 block of Jessamine Avenue. Police say a man on an e-bike ran a stop sign and was struck by a vehicle. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition. In both cases, the drivers remained on-site and have been cooperating as investigators work to sort out exactly what happened, as reported by KSTP.
Where This Fits Into Citywide Safety Work
St. Paul has been pushing on a broader traffic safety agenda, including a city Safety Action Plan and infrastructure projects that aim to cut down on serious crashes. The Metropolitan Council’s Imagine 2050 transportation plan lays out a regional goal to eliminate traffic deaths and notes that Saint Paul wrapped up its Safety Action Plan in 2023 and landed a nearly $16 million implementation grant in 2024 for systemic improvements. Those strategies, from redesigned crossings to speed-management tools, are the kinds of measures planners say are meant to prevent the sort of collisions police are now investigating in St. Paul, according to the Metropolitan Council.
What Residents Should Keep In Mind
Police say both investigations remain active and more details will be released as they become available. For now, officers are urging drivers, cyclists and people on foot to take extra care on neighborhood streets at night and to use marked crosswalks whenever possible. Anyone who saw either crash, or who has video that might help the investigation, is asked to contact St. Paul police, as reported by KSTP.
