Friends Mourn The Death Of Red Bull Killed Running Stop Sign
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Minnesota Red Bull was killed early Friday morning when he ran a stop sign and an SUV slammed into him.
Pfc. Badaso Hassen, 20, was a member of the Minnesota National Guard's 834th Aviation Support Battalion out of St. Paul. He drove through a stop sign trying to cross Highway 10 at Dolomite Street in Ramsey at 3 a.m., according to the Minnesota State Patrol. Hassen's passenger, Carmen Johnson, was injured and taken in critical condition to a Twin Cities hospital, but Hassen died at the scene. His friends are now devastated.
Jamie Hernandez described Hassen as a good friend.
"He was a kind man," Hernandez said. "He was kind, really kind."
Hernandez learned Friday afternoon that Hassen's small Saturn car got T-boned by an Expedition and that his friend died instantly in the crash.
Investigators call the crash an accident; but Hassen's friends call it a personal loss.
Hernandez said Hassen had a tough life growing up in Ethiopia. His brother raised him, and he came to America when he was older.
Hassen joined the military two years ago. He wanted to help his country the best he could, Hernandez said. He also wanted to go to college.
The State Patrol is still investigating the crash. At the moment, they don't believe the Expedition's driver, Robert Parkos, was doing anything wrong; he actually had the right of way.
Parkos suffered minor injuries.
Lt. Eric Roeske, of Minnesota State Patrol, said the speeds at which cars travel on Highway 10 (60 mph) could certainly result in a serious collision.
"Anytime you have a vehicle traveling at that speed with another vehicle pulling in front of it, that results in a very serious, very violent collision," he said.
Hassen's friends are left to grieve.
"You can't picture that they're gone yet, because it just happened suddenly," Hernandez said.
Hassen was never deployed with the Red Bulls.
Capt. David Adams, the officer in charge of the 834th Aviation Support Battalion, released a statement, saying that Hassen's contributions will be missed.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hassen family during this difficult time," the statement said.
Hassen was from Champlin, Minn.
