A man was badly injured early Friday morning when a vehicle ran him completely over before crashing down a stairwell at the Metro Transit East Franklin LRT station.
Police and other responders were dispatched to the crash just after 1:30 a.m. Friday on a report that a pedestrian had been struck and that a vehicle had driven into a stairwell at the transit station at 1808 East Franklin Avenue in south Minneapolis.
Information at the time was limited due to Minneapolis police (MPD) radio encryption, which was implemented last year. However, the MPD 911 dashboard indicated that numerous responders had been dispatched to the crash, indicating a serious incident.
Dispatch audio from EMS later indicated that a male in his 50s was being transported to the hospital with “multiple serious traumatic injuries” as a result of being involved in a vehicle crash.
On Friday, Joshua Ryan Pendegayosh, 33, of Minneapolis, was charged in Hennepin County District Court with felony criminal vehicular operation resulting in great bodily harm and involving gross negligence.
Charges say police were initially advised by dispatch that there was possibly a deceased victim and that the driver had left the scene.
Upon arriving at the scene, a witness told police that he saw the suspect drive his vehicle into the victim and then exit and run from the scene. The witness did not see anyone else in the vehicle.
Police observed the crashed vehicle, which appeared to have struck a fence before traveling down the embankment and crashing into the LRT transit station.
Transit police were able to obtain video that showed the suspect, later identified as Pendegayosh, who was located walking near 17th and Cedar Avenue.
Pendegayosh told police he had been driving the vehicle and had struck the person. Police asked if Pendegayosh was the only person in the vehicle, and he replied that he thought he was the only person in the vehicle but said he couldn’t be sure since he was “sleeping at the time of the accident.”
Further surveillance video obtained by police showed the vehicle stopped or parked near Cedar Avenue with its headlights on, indicating it was on or running. The victim was not fully visible in the video, but his feet or a portion of his body could be seen on the nearby sidewalk.
Video showed the vehicle began to move and appeared to accelerate onto the sidewalk, first striking another vehicle, then the fence. The vehicle then appeared to pick up speed before ultimately striking the pedestrian, running him completely over.
The vehicle then crashed through the fence which the pedestrian also hit. The vehicle then went down the embankment before coming to a final rest against the building, straddling the stairs leading to the LRT platform.
Police located a syringe on the passenger side floorboard of the vehicle. Officers also noted indications of impairment but did not smell alcohol on Pendegayosh.
Pendegayosh was transported to HCMC, where a search warrant was completed and signed, and a blood draw was taken.
While at the hospital, Pendegayosh made unprompted comments about needing to take this time to go to treatment. He additionally commented that he was in control of the vehicle when he fell asleep but then stated he had parked the vehicle first before falling asleep, the charges say.
The charging document says that the current medical status of the victim is unknown, but medical staff reported that he “suffered broken bones to virtually his entire body.”
Pendegayosh is being held on $75,000 bail and is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Monday.
A search of Minnesota court records shows Pendegayosh has at least 31 prior convictions, including nine felonies, as well as a case filed in 2013 on charges of criminal vehicular homicide or operation, DWI, careless driving, driving after revocation, and tampering with a motor vehicle. The charging document in the 2013 case was not immediately available, but records show that Pendegayosh ultimately pleaded guilty to a gross misdemeanor count of DWI, and the remaining charges were dismissed. Pendegayosh was sentenced to 90 days in jail in the case.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
