A stolen vehicle tore into a south Minneapolis church before sunrise Saturday, leaving behind a damaged building, a toppled light pole and the smell of natural gas, but no driver in sight by the time officers arrived. Minneapolis police are still trying to figure out who was behind the wheel, according to Minnesota Star Tribune.
Officers responded to a property-damage hit-and-run at 4307 4th Avenue South around 3:06 a.m. Saturday, according to KARE 11. They found an empty vehicle that had struck a building owned by the Evangelist Crusaders.
Stolen Vehicle, Gas Leak and a Downed Light Pole
Authorities said the vehicle had been reported stolen in Minneapolis. The crash also brought down a city-owned light pole, which came to rest leaning against a nearby house.
Officers detected the smell of natural gas at the scene. The Minneapolis Fire Department and CenterPoint Energy responded to address the leak, according to KARE 11.
Safety guidance and church history
For anyone who smells natural gas after a crash, CenterPoint Energy advises leaving on foot and reporting the leak to 911 and CenterPoint, according to KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News. The Evangelist Crusaders’ history page says the church moved into its current location in June 1983, according to Evangelist Crusaders.
No Injuries, No Arrests So Far
Officials reported no injuries connected to the crash, despite the extent of the damage to the church and the surrounding property. As of publication, authorities had made no arrests, and the driver's whereabouts remained unknown, the same account noted.
Minneapolis police have not released additional details about how the vehicle was stolen or what led to the crash on 4th Avenue South. The investigation into the hit-and-run remains ongoing.
