Fatal Crash On Anoka's Main Street Following Police Pursuit
[NOTE: An earlier version of this story said that two people were killed, based on information from the Anoka County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff has since corrected that information to confirm that only the driver in the crash had died, and not the passenger as well.]
ANOKA, Minn. (WCCO) -- Authorities say one person is dead and another injured following a police pursuit and crash, which closed Main Street in Anoka for hours Wednesday morning.
The road has since reopened. Anoka County authorities said the crash involved two vehicles and occurred at West Main and Ferry streets.
Main St. in downtown Anoka just reopened 15 mins ago after a crash just before midnight. The two cars collided with such force it knocked out 3 light poles. Still working to learn how many people were hurt and how badly and what started all of this @WCCO @AnokaPD @AnokaCoSheriff pic.twitter.com/AGI9vM39Nz
— Pauleen Le (@PauleenLe) May 18, 2022
Officers in Coon Rapids attempted a traffic stop at about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, near Hanson Boulevard and Gateway Drive Northwest. The driver of the vehicle fled and a pursuit ensued, which was called off when the driver entered Anoka.
The crash happened about a mile after the end of the pursuit, according to officers.
Multiple ambulances and other emergency vehicles responded to the crash. A WCCO employee saw emergency personnel cut the roof off of one of the cars.
Debris littered the roadway following the crash, and at least three light poles were taken down.
The driver of the vehicle that fled was pronounced dead at the scene; their identity was not immediately available. A passenger in the same vehicle was taken to a nearby hospital, according to authorities.
The driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash -- a Dodge Ram -- suffered minor injuries but was released at the scene.
The crash remains under investigation by the Anoka Police Department, Coon Rapids Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol, Anoka County Sheriff's Office and the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office.