Investigation Underway After Fatal Rollover Crash In St. Paul

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Police are investigating following a fatal crash early Monday morning in St. Paul.

The St. Paul Police Department says the crash happened around 1 a.m. near the intersection of Johnson Parkway and Maryland Avenue, just south of Lake Phalen.

Responding officers found a 23-year-old St. Cloud man lying in the middle of the road. Investigators believe the man was ejected from a Mercury Mariner SUV, which appeared to have rolled on Johnson Parkway.

Officers attempted life-saving measures, but paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene.

Witnesses told police they heard screeching tires near Maryland and Burnquist, a block west of the crash. Investigators noted that it appears the SUV was traveling at a high rate of speed when it rolled.

Other witnesses also reported hearing gunshots just before the crash. Investigators say a gun was recovered from the scene, but it's unclear what role, if any, the firearm played in the crash.

If gunfire was involved, it'd mark the fourth shooting in the city since Saturday. According to St. Paul police, more than 150 shots were fired in the city over the weekend, leaving seven injured.

The crash remains under investigation.