A quiet morning walk in Monticello turned tragic when a vehicle struck a man and his dog, then took off, leaving the man with minor injuries and the dog dead. The hit-and-run happened around 7:28 a.m. during the morning commute, and Wright County deputies say they are now working to track down the driver.
According to KSTP, the Wright County Sheriff’s Office said the man and his dog were hit near the intersection of County Road 18 NE and Oak Ridge Drive as they started to cross Jason Avenue. Investigators are looking for a metallic blue 2014 to 2016 Subaru Forester that is missing its passenger-side mirror and say they are actively following up on leads.
What investigators found at the scene
Deputies were called to the area shortly after the crash and confirmed the man had only minor injuries before he was taken to a hospital, CBS Minnesota reported. The sheriff’s office also told reporters the dog did not survive and that the driver was gone before deputies arrived.
How to help investigators
The Wright County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who saw the crash or who may have video from the area to call 763-682-1162. Investigators are especially interested in footage or eyewitness accounts that could help them identify the Subaru or its driver, according to CBS Minnesota.
Legal note
Minnesota law requires drivers involved in a collision that causes injury or death to stop, stay at the scene, and provide identifying information. Leaving instead can lead to criminal charges. The Office of the Revisor of Statutes details those duties in Minn. Stat. § 169.09, and prosecutors can pursue criminal vehicular operation charges when injuries or death result under Minn. Stat. § 609.2113.
Deputies have not released the victim’s name, and as of the latest local coverage no arrests had been announced. The investigation remains active as authorities review witness statements and any video that might bring them closer to the driver who left the scene.
