Charge: Teen on phone when he caused Twin Cities crash that killed girl, 11, in other vehicle

A teenager was charged Monday with being on his cellphone when he sped through a stop sign in a pickup truck at a Twin Cities intersection and struck an SUV, killing an 11-year-old girl in the other vehicle.

Conner Michael Iversen, 18, of St. Paul was charged in Hennepin County District Court with criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the crash in Independence at County Roads 6 and 83 shortly before 8 a.m. on Feb. 26.

SUV passenger Lilyana Loycano of Maple Plain died two days later at Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis.

Police said Lilyana, with her parents Eric and Emmy Loycano, and her three brothers, were headed to school when they stopped at the four-way stop. Her parents and her siblings, twin brothers Dominic and Jaxon, 15, and 4-year-old Merric, survived their injuries.

“After this case was submitted to our office in mid-July, we conducted a thorough review and are confident in our charging decision,” read a statement from County Attorney Mary Moriarty. “Lilyana should still be with her family. This terrible incident serves as another reminder of the devastating impact dangerous driving has on our communities.”

The crash marked the third serious criminal allegation against Iversen in less than three months.

According to Monday’s criminal complaint:

A motorist told police she was directly behind the Loycano’s SUV on County Road 83 at County Road 6, where it was the SUV driver’s turn to enter the intersection, which is controlled by stop signs in all directions.

Iversen entered the intersection in a GMC Sierra and hit the SUV, then a Dodge pickup. Other witnesses said Iversen didn’t slow down before impact.

A State Patrol investigation found that Iversen was traveling 63 miles per hour about 1 second before the crash in 50 mph zone.

A law enforcement search found that Iversen “was using his phone in the moments leading up to the crash,” the complaint read.

In early March, Iversen was charged in Hennepin County District Court with third-degree assault in connection with an attack in Golden Valley. Police met with a man who was stabbed at Theodore Wirth Parkway and Olson Hwy. The victim was taken by emergency medical responders to North Memorial Health Hospital with stab wounds to the back of his leg.

Police tracked Iversen to a maintenance building about a mile away from the scene of the stabbing. Maintenance staff reported that Iversen had broken in. Police found him covered in scratches and blood.

On Dec. 17, police in Minnetrista were alerted to troubling driving on Hwy. 7 in St. Bonifacius. Police were told the car’s driver was disobeying a no-passing zone, passing on the shoulder, speeding and being “all over the road.”

Officers spotted Iversen topping 100 mph on County Road 92. A patrol helicopter soon took over the pursuit. Officers brought the vehicle to a crashing halt when Iversen drove over police stop sticks. He fled briefly on a trail before his arrest.

Iversen explained to officers that he “hit the gas as hard as I could” in his effort to evade police. The teenager added that he gets too crazy when he drives, adding this was the third vehicle he has crashed.

Iversen remains jailed in lieu of $100,000 bail ahead of a court appearance on Sept. 8. His attorney has not returned calls asking for a response to any of the allegations.