MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis woman is accused of running down four people in Uptown with her Honda Accord, one of whom was dragged underneath the vehicle and died as a result.
Sophia Elizabeth Sullivan, 38, of Minneapolis, was charged on Monday with intentional second-degree murder and assault with a dangerous weapon.
On the evening of Wednesday, April 30, prosecutors said Sullivan intentionally hit four pedestrians with her car in two separate hit-and-runs that occurred five minutes apart.
The first incident occurred at 6:19 p.m. on 26th Street West and Grand Avenue South. The two victims were in the designated crosswalk when Sullivan ran a red light and hit them. One victim sustained a head cut, while the other developed road rash as a result of the collision with the concrete.
According to the criminal complaint, Sullivan intentionally slammed her car into two pedestrians at 26th St. W. and Emerson Ave. S., about five minutes later and half a mile away.
Investigators obtained video surveillance in this case. According to investigators, the video shows Sullivan’s car accelerating quickly and colliding with them. According to authorities, one victim was thrown 30 feet, while the other landed on the hood of Sullivan’s car.
Sullivan continued driving with the victim on the hood before abruptly braking, throwing the victim to the road.
“Rather than swerving around her, (Sullivan) appeared to swerve the car towards the victim, running her over. According to the criminal complaint, “She became lodged under the car, and (Sullivan) continued to drive down the road, dragging her under the car.”
Prosecutors said Sullivan eventually began swerving to the left and right before turning into a parking lot, causing the victim to emerge from beneath the vehicle. The video shows Sullivan running her over with her car’s rear tires.
Police officers obtained her license plate from the video and arrested her shortly afterwards at her home. Police officers reported that her car’s windshield was smashed and covered in fresh blood.
The victim, who was thrown 30 feet, suffered a broken wrist and several abrasions.
The woman on the hood of the car died two days after the collision.