Charges: Minneapolis woman intentionally struck pedestrians, killing one

A Minneapolis woman faces charges including second-degree murder after allegedly intentionally running down pedestrians with her car last week, killing one person and injuring three others.

Sophia Elizabeth Sullivan, 38, also faces three counts of attempted second-degree murder and three counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. She appeared in Hennepin County court on Monday, where bail was set at $2 million. She remained in the Hennepin County Jail on Tuesday.

According to the criminal complaint:

Minneapolis police responded to two hit-and-run crashes involving pedestrians minutes apart on the evening of April 30.

The first happened at about 6:19 p.m. at the corner of 26th Street and Grand Avenue South, and left two people injured. The victims told police that they were crossing in the crosswalk — with the right-of-way — when a car “accelerated through the red light and struck them.”

The second crash happened about five minutes later a half-mile away, at the corner of 26th Street and Emerson Avenue South.

One of the two people hit told investigators that they were crossing the street after a walk to Lake of the Isles, when “he heard an engine rev and observed the vehicle turn towards them.” According to the complaint, the victim told police that he believed the driver “could see them and that she struck them intentionally.”

Video allegedly shows the vehicle slowly driving parallel to the two victims as they walk. As they stepped into the crosswalk, the car “accelerated to a high speed and plowed directly into them.”

The male victim — the one who later spoke with police — was thrown about 30 feet and suffered abrasions and a fractured wrist. The female victim was thrown onto the hood of the car, then onto the pavement. The complaint says the driver of the car — allegedly Sullivan — then ran over the victim, dragging her under the car. The victim died from her injuries at a hospital two days later.

The vehicle was found a few blocks away, outside the apartment building where Sullivan lives. The windshield was smashed “and had what appeared to be fresh blood on it,” the complaint states.

Authorities have not released the names of the person who died or those who were injured. The complaint does not suggest a possible motive or explanation for Sullivan’s alleged actions.

Sullivan is due back in court on June 3.

• ‘Murphy, the Boss Cat of Little Earth’ celebrates friendship in Minneapolis Native community
• On first day of Real ID requirement, travelers at MSP find minimal hassle
• Despite recent homicides, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says city is becoming safer