A high-speed police chase that tore through St. Paul's east side in late 2024 was back in the spotlight Wednesday, when a Minneapolis man admitted in court to a felony tied to the crash that killed a bystander in a church parking lot. The plea stems from a December 2024 pursuit that ended when a fleeing vehicle slammed into a parked car, killing its occupant.
Prosecutors say 28-year-old Lorenzo Washington pleaded guilty Wednesday to fleeing a peace officer resulting in death. According to KARE 11, the plea was entered in Ramsey County court and stems from the Dec. 8, 2024, crash.
How the chase unfolded
State troopers first tried to stop the vehicle near Interstate 94 and Marion Street, but the driver hit the gas, re-entered I-94 and took off, according to the Star Tribune. A State Patrol helicopter then tracked the vehicle as it headed onto northbound I-35E and exited at Larpenteur Avenue. Investigators say the car left the roadway, jumped a curb and sped into the Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church parking lot, where it struck a parked vehicle. The person inside that parked car was thrown from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.
Speed, charges and arrest
Charging documents estimate the fleeing vehicle was moving at very high speeds, about 90 mph shortly before impact, and say the driver bolted from the wreck before Ramsey County deputies caught up and arrested him, according to FOX 9. Washington was initially charged with criminal vehicular homicide and fleeing an officer. Prosecutors say the fleeing count is the charge tied directly to the death and is the basis of his recent guilty plea.
Legal outlook
Washington's conviction for fleeing a peace officer resulting in death is a felony that brings significant prison exposure under Minnesota's sentencing rules. The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission ranks fleeing a peace officer that results in death at the highest offense level used in its guidelines calculations, which signals substantial recommended prison time. A sentencing date has not yet been set and will be scheduled as the case moves forward.
Victim and local impact
The Star Tribune identified the person killed as 36-year-old Day Por Tho of St. Paul and reported that leaders at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church said their lot is frequently used by people catching buses to downtown. Church officials and neighbors described the crash as a tragedy for the community and said they are working with investigators as the criminal case plays out in court.
