Suspect arrested in fatal Maplewood hit-and-run now being investigated as murder, police say
MAPLEWOOD, Minn. — A Minneapolis woman is dead and a St. Paul woman injured after a hit-and-run Wednesday night in Maplewood.
Maplewood and St. Paul officers were called to Larpenteur Avenue East and Dieter Street at about 9:20 p.m. after calls came in about a pedestrian struck by a motorist. Police say the driver then fled the scene.
In an update Thursday morning, police said they located the suspect's vehicle. Shortly before 2 p.m., police arrested a 34-year-old St. Paul woman in connection to the incident.
Two women were found wounded and were both rushed to Regions Hospital, where one of them, a 23-year-old, was pronounced dead. The other victim, 22, is expected to survive.
"She didn't deserve to go out like this. Nobody does," Leonardo said.
He visited the scene Thursday morning after learning about the passing of his friend, known to many as "Ziggy."
He said he just spent time with her a few days ago and that she was always great with his children.
"The loveliest person you would ever meet. You know what I'm saying? She was nice. She was kind. She had a beautiful smile," he said.
He said she was not the type to have conflicts with others and wasn't sure who would want to hurt her.
"I hope her parents, her family get through this and they get justice for what happened," he said.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is assisting the Maplewood Police Department as the incident is now a murder investigation.
This is a developing story. Stay with WCCO.com for more.
