A Minnesota woman is facing charges of second-degree murder following a vehicular incident that resulted in the death of one person and injuries to three others. Sophia Sullivan, 38, was taken into custody on April 30, the same day she is alleged to have driven her Honda Accord into four pedestrians in Minneapolis.
According to a criminal complaint, Sullivan is said to have first run a red light, hitting two pedestrians – a woman in her 40s and a teenage girl – as they crossed an intersection in a designated crosswalk around 6:19 p.m. The complaint further alleges that Sullivan continued her destructive path, accelerating her vehicle minutes later as two more pedestrians, a man and a woman both in their 30s, crossed another intersection.
Local radio station KROQ reported that surveillance cameras captured the second incident, revealing Sullivan’s alleged actions. The complaint states that after driving parallel to the pair, Sullivan is said to have accelerated at high speed, hitting them directly as they entered the crosswalk. The man was reportedly thrown 30 feet into the air, landing near a parked vehicle, while the woman was thrown onto the hood of Sullivan’s car.
The complaint further alleges that Sullivan swerved her car towards the woman, running her over. While the woman was trapped under Sullivan’s car, Sullivan is said to have continued driving, dragging the woman under the car. She then allegedly swerved back and forth, eventually dislodging the woman, whom she is accused of running over again with her rear tires.
The first two victims reportedly suffered cuts and burns, while the man from the second incident was hospitalized with a fractured wrist, scrapes, and abrasions. The woman sustained serious injuries and passed away on May 2.
Police located Sullivan’s vehicle at her apartment building, where they discovered a smashed windshield and fresh blood. Reports indicate that Sullivan’s license had been revoked in 2015.
Sullivan was arrested and is currently being held on a $2 million bond in Hennepin County Jail. She faces charges of one count of second-degree murder, three counts of attempted second-degree murder, three counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, and five counts of criminal vehicular operation. Her next court appearance is scheduled for June 3.