St. Paul police looking for hit-and-run driver who critically injured pedestrian
Officers were called about 10:50 p.m. and were told that a Nissan Sentra rear-ended a vehicle at Johnson Parkway and East Seventh Street, said Sgt. Toy Vixayvong, a St. Paul police spokesman. The Nissan's driver didn't stop, and the driver of the vehicle that was struck followed.
About half a mile away, the Nissan hit a pedestrian in the area of Phalen Boulevard and Johnson Parkway. The Nissan left the area.
The driver who followed the Nissan called 911 and their passenger began life-saving measures for the pedestrian, Vixayvong said.
The pedestrian was unresponsive and St. Paul Fire Department medics took the woman to Regions Hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The Nissan was abandoned at Maryland Avenue and Phalen Boulevard. Police set up a perimeter with K-9 tracking and assistance from the Minnesota State Patrol helicopter. They did not find the suspect.
The Nissan had not been reported as stolen and police are working to determine who was driving it, Vixayvong said.
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New York Post
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New York Post
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He worked as a transit cop for two years and joined the FDNY in 1985, getting promoted to fire marshal in 1999 — all the while remaining in the Army reserves as a lieutenant colonel. 12 Draves joined the NYC Transit Police in 1982 after serving with the Marines following high school. Courtesy of Leonard Draves 12 From 2002 to 2019, Draves served in Afghanistan and Iraq combat zones as a much-needed Lieutenant Colonel in the army. Courtesy of Leonard Draves 12 For nearly six months, Draves sifted through the remains of nearly 350 firefighters to help identify their bodies. Matthew McDermott 12 Draves, in blue, fires his M4 carbine during a surprise Taliban attack at ISAF Headquarters in Kabul. Courtesy of Leonard Draves He worked to identify the remains of the fallen firefighters and the one fire marshal lost on Sept. 11, 2001— a traumatic task that involved removing the bodies of his fallen brothers from their bunker gear, taking fingerprints and recovering remains and any personal artifacts. Despite wearing industrial Tyvek suits, Draves said he came home every night covered with 'the stench of death.' 'It was a very, very tough time,' he said. 12 While the city and FDNY sent him a letter Stephen Yang In February 2002, he got the call up to serve with the Army reserves — so he filled out the proper paperwork with the FDNY and shipped out, according to his lawsuit, first to Afghanistan, then to Iraq where he trained local police to handle deadly IEDs that were killing scores of allies. 'Getting called out to defend the country after 9/11, it was an honor,' Draves said. 12 For nearly 6 months, Draves worked to identify the remains of fallen FDNY workers. Matthew McDermott With a shortage of commissioned officers, Draves said he was recalled to the regular Army, extending his service until he was discharged. But while he was dodging Taliban bullets, the FDNY was getting ready to fire a salvo of their own, his lawsuit claims. In 2010, shortly after his recall, Draves got a letter from the city saying he and his family were getting booted from their health insurance and the FDNY pension system, the suit states. 12 While Draves (in blue shirt) was dodging bullets and rockets during repeated attacks in Kabul, the city and FDNY sent him a letter telling him he and his family were being dumped from the FDNY's health insurance and pension system, according to his suit. NATO At the same time in Queens, a pair of uniformed city officials 'banged' on the doors of the family home in an apparent attempt to locate him — terrifying his wife and four kids, Draves claims. His family had to 'scramble' to get on a military insurance plan, said Draves. 12 Draves said the letter sent him and his family into a panic, and 'it did distract me from the mission.' Courtesy of Leonard Draves 'My family suffered,' he said. 'It was painful, and it did distract me from the mission.' After his honorable discharge in 2019, Draves went for his medical review to re-enter the FDNY at the MetroTech Medical Center. But in the middle of his physical, Draves said, he was kicked to the curb when the fire chief of the medical center told him he'd been gone too long, and he 'had to leave.' 12 'Thank God for the VA — they really got me through this,' Draves said. 'They take care of their brothers.' Stephen Yang A promised follow-up never happened — a 'constructive termination,' the lawsuit claims. Draves is still denied access to the FDNY's WTC Health Program for his 9/11-related illnesses as a certified first-responder, the suit states. Due to the ordeal and alleged mistreatment, Draves said, 'I couldn't bear going back' to the fire department. 'Thank God for the VA (Veterans Affairs) — they really got me through this,' he said. 'They take care of their brothers.'
