Pregnant Woman, Unborn Child Killed In 'Catastrophic' MPLS Crash

MINNEAPOLIS — Police are investigating after a pregnant mother and her unborn child were killed in a collision in Minneapolis late Thursday evening. At approximately 10:50 p.m., Minneapolis police received multiple 911 reports of a "catastrophic" motor vehicle crash on the 1300 block of Newton Avenue North.

At the scene, police found several vehicles smashed into each other, with one vehicle having rolled over. Officers found several bystanders that were providing comfort to two individuals that were trapped in a minivan that had rolled over.

Other officers took two individuals from the suspect vehicle into custody.

Investigators say an SUV was traveling southbound against the northbound one-way on Newton Avenue. The suspect vehicle struck a parked vehicle on the 1400 block of Newton Avenue North and continued the wrong direction on the one-way, police said.

The vehicle then entered the 1300 block at an "exceptionally high rate of speed," striking a minivan and several other vehicles, according to authorities.

Minneapolis police and fire crews worked for nearly an hour attempting to extricate a woman in her 30s from the minivan.

The woman died before they could remove her. She was eight months pregnant and the unborn child also died, according to a news release.

The driver of the minivan and the two occupants from the suspect vehicle have been hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Police believe narcotics use and speed may be contributing factors to this crash.

The Minneapolis Police Department Crime Laboratory personnel came out and processed the scene along with the Minneapolis Traffic Unit. This will be a joint investigation between the Minneapolis Traffic Unit in the Minneapolis Homicide Unit.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).