"Sad morning for our community": Toddler killed, teen seriously injured in Arden Hills crash
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – A tragic crash took the life of a toddler Monday morning, and sent a teenager to the hospital.
Investigators say a school bus hit a pickup truck in Arden Hills, killing that little girl and seriously hurting her 15-year-old brother.
"I drove by probably about 15 minutes after. I was going to get gas at Holiday so I saw all the emergency responders and the carnage," Bob Sundberg said.
The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office say around 8:30 a.m., the school bus collided with the truck as the truck turned left from Highway 96 onto Highway 10.
The bus was empty at the time and the female driver was not hurt. Inside the truck, a 23-month-old girl was killed. Officials said the driver was her father. Her mother was in the passenger seat. Both parents were uninjured.
"Your heart kind of skips a beat after remembering the last crash with the high schoolers getting killed," Sundberg said.
Mounds View High School confirmed the 15-year-old injured in the crash is a student at the school. It's not the first time the community has been hit with a devastating loss.
In 2016, then high school juniors Stephanie Carlson and Bridget Giere were killed in a crash turning left at the intersection as they drove to school.
Kary Welter lives nearby. He said his children went to school with Stephanie and Bridget. He would like to see changes at the busy intersection that's often filled with buses and young drivers.
"I watched two people die out here before the lights came. And the lights were supposed to be safer, and unfortunately we've had three people dead now," Welter said. "Maybe take out the blinking yellow. It should be that simple."
While it's unclear if the turn signal was flashing during Monday's crash, what is certain is the hope that this one is the last.
"Something's gotta change," Welter said.
Mounds View High School sent a message to families saying they understand how this accident is upsetting for the community. They're offering counseling services.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
