A driver who allegedly ran a red light and triggered a four-vehicle crash in northeast Minneapolis got out of the vehicle and fled on foot Monday night, leaving three people hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Police have not announced any arrests, and the crash remains under investigation.
Officers Responded to Reports of a Crash With Injuries
Minneapolis police officers responded just after 8:15 p.m. to reports of a crash with injuries at the intersection of Lowry Avenue Northeast and University Avenue Northeast, according to the Minneapolis Police Department, as reported by KSTP. Investigators say the driver of one vehicle drove through a red light and collided with two other vehicles. One of the vehicles that was hit was then pushed into a fourth vehicle, police said.
Three people were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, per the same account. The driver believed to have caused the crash got out of the vehicle and ran away from the scene, according to MPD. Police have not announced any arrests, and the station's report notes the investigation is ongoing.
A Crash-Prone Corner of Northeast Minneapolis
Monday's wreck adds to a long list of collisions at that corner. Minnesota Department of Transportation data shows there were 126 collisions at University and Lowry from 2020 through 2024, according to the Star Tribune. That works out to a rate of 3.4 wrecks per million vehicles entering the intersection — about four times higher than the statewide average for comparable intersections, the newspaper reported. The corner has also been struck by roughly 25 semi trucks over the years, per the same reporting.
The Star Tribune's reporting also detailed a separate crash on April 6 at the same intersection, in which a westbound vehicle entered against a solid red light, struck multiple vehicles and ultimately crashed into Stanley's Northeast Bar Room. Five vehicles, including the striking vehicle, were damaged in that incident, which is distinct from Monday night's crash. MnDOT has a $45 million upgrade planned for 2027 along University Avenue between 27th Avenue Northeast and Highway 65/Central Avenue Northeast, according to the same Star Tribune report.
What Counts as a Reportable Crash
Under Minnesota law, a crash is reportable in several circumstances, including a fatality, certain property damage, bodily injury requiring immediate treatment away from or at the scene, or disabling vehicle damage requiring a vehicle to be towed or hauled away, according to the Minnesota Revisor's Office. Monday's crash, with three people hospitalized, met that threshold. No further details on the hospitalized individuals or the identity of the fleeing driver have been released.
