Edina man a potential suspect in hit-and-run that killed doctor near Lake Mille Lacs, warrants reveal
KATHIO TOWNSHIP, Minn. — Investigators seem to be getting closer to finding the person responsible for hitting and killing a doctor near Lake Mille Lacs late last year.
New warrants reveal that investigators suspect a dark grey Tesla Model X belonging to a 42-year-old Edina man may have been involved in the incident that killed Dr. Cathy Donovan. The warrants requested permission to search the man's Tesla as well as his cell phone
Donovan was struck on the 40000 block of Highway 169 in Kathio Township around 5 p.m. on Nov. 13. The 56-year-old was walking her two dogs — Flash and Sunny — at the time of the crash, one of whom was also killed. The only possible debris located from the crash was a windshield wiper near Donovan's body, police say.
Multiple witnesses reported seeing a dark grey four-door car with black rims with a body on its hood in the area where Donovan was found dead. This description fits that of a dark grey 2022-2023 Tesla Model X, according to investigators. The vehicle was also caught traveling the area on multiple surveillance cameras around the time of the crash.
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Investigators issued warrants requesting data on cell phones near the scene of the accident on Nov. 13 from AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Multiple people were interviewed based on those records, which eventually brought detectives to the suspect in Edina.
During a Jan. 9 interview, the man told police that he regularly drives north on Highway 169 along Mille Lacs Lake on his way to his cabin in Cross Lake. He said he would have to look in his calendar to be certain that he had been in the area on Nov. 13.
The man allegedly denied striking Donovan with his Tesla and leaving the scene and said he did not know about the crash even happening.
Investigators did not find any front-end damage on the man's Tesla upon inspection but did call a Tesla dealership the next day to confirm that body parts, like hoods, could be acquired within a few weeks and a windshield could be fixed in a matter of days.
Donovan had been a long-time provider at Mille Lacs Health System in Onamia.
Note: WCCO typically does not name suspects until they are formally charged.