Minnesotan, 22, Charged With Vehicular Homicide In St. Croix County

A Big Lake, Minnesota woman sought by the Wisconsin St. Croix County Sheriff's Office in connection to a fatal motor vehicle crash in the fall of 2016 was taken into custody after a nationwide warrant had been issued. Makellia S. Jensen, 22, was taken into custody last week in Ramsey County, Minnesota after she voluntarily turned herself in, authorities say.

St. Croix County prosecutors charged Jensen June 2 with homicide by vehicle, the River Falls Journal reported. The crash killed a Wisconsin girl named Kyra Hayes, age 16. Authorities claim Jensen was driving on Highway 35 in the Wisconsin town of Troy Oct. 21 when her vehicle went into another traffic lane that caused Hayes to swerve and crash. Hayes died at the scene.

Witnesses said Jensen had both hands on her cell phone while she was driving on Highway 35, KMSP reported. Authorities also say Jensen had meth, marijuana, and heroin laced with fentanyl and carfentanil in her car.

According to the criminal complaint, deputies found a post on Jensen’s Facebook account stating: "I admit I cut her off not looking in my blind spot, she never honked when she could of so she obviously wasn’t paying attention either probably on her phone but who f------ knows now that she’s dead."

"That led us to believe that this is not just merely a tragedy, but a criminal action and we believe we can prove it beyond a reasonable doubt," Michael Nieskes, St. Croix County District Attorney told KMSP.

Image via St. Croix County Sheriff's Office