A 30-year-old man with a reckless driving history and no valid license was speeding on a residential street before he crashed into a St. Paul professional singer on her way to a voice lesson, killing her, according to charges.
Israel Delos Santos of Apple Valley faces two felony counts of criminal vehicular homicide, one for leaving the scene and one for negligence, in the death of Krista Sandstrom, 47, just south of downtown Minneapolis last Thursday, according to the Hennepin County attorney's office.
Sandstrom was a member of the Minnesota Chorale, according to a biography posted by her husband, Christian McGuire. She worked at HCMC.
According to charges, Sandstrom was driving her Honda Fit west on 15th Street East and had the green light when Delos Santos, driving a Chevrolet Trailblazer ran a red light and struck the Honda.
Witnesses saw Delos Santos and his passenger get out of the Trailblazer and attempt to hide a liquor bottle in the grass before fleeing, and some witnesses tried to detain Delos Santos, said police Sgt. Catherine Michal. He was found by police and taken to Hennepin County Medical Center for a blood test to determine if he was drunk. The results have not yet been released.
Witnesses said Delos Santos ran three red lights before striking Sandstrom. Data from the his vehicle's air bag module indicated the SUV was traveling at least 66 miles per hour at the time of the crash and no brake was applied, investigators said.
Delos Santos is under intensive supervised release for an armed second-degree assault conviction in 2014 in Dakota County. He was driving with a canceled license at the time of the crash, the state Department of Public Safety said Monday.
Delos Santos remains held without bail in the Hennepin County jail. His first appearance is scheduled for Wednesday.
