Woman in her 70s killed in hit-and-run crash involving stolen vehicle in St. Paul
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Police are looking for the driver and passengers of a stolen car after they crashed into another car, killing an elderly woman and leaving her husband hurt Sunday night.
Police said it happened at around 10 p.m. as the couple was driving north on Forest Street in St. Paul. The car that was stolen from Minneapolis turned west out of an alley, colliding with the couple just south of the intersection at Magnolia Avenue East.
They said the woman who was hit and killed was in her 70s and was a passenger of the car. She died at the scene. Police identified the woman as Phoua Hang.
Her husband, the driver, was taken to the hospital but should recover.
Police said the car that hit them was a gray KIA Sportage that St. Paul police say was stolen. The driver and passengers of that car ran from the scene.
"It's very tragic any time there's a loss of life. It's very sad especially a couple assuming they were driving home or just driving down the road involved in this crash," said Sgt. David McCabe of the St. Paul Police Department.
Police do not have a description of the driver or passengers of the stolen car and the case is still under investigation.
Following the accident, the SPPD released a statement regarding the national trend of an increase in theft of KIA and Hyundai cars.
The department says they have investigated 212 Hyundai thefts and 256 KIA thefts so far this year, out of 1,891 auto thefts total.
Only 18 KIAs and 31 Hyundais were investigated as stolen during the same time period last year.
Anyone with information should contact the Saint Paul Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Unit at 651-266-5722.