The Hennepin County Attorney's Office on Wednesday charged a 20-year-old Minneapolis man with four felony counts for the crash Saturday night in Robbinsdale that killed a young mother and severely injured her husband.
Quintin Leon Hudson is accused of being under the influence of drugs when he broadsided a minivan at 36th and Orchard avenues N. following a brief pursuit by police. Emily Gerding, 34, of Crystal, died; her husband John, 34, remains hospitalized.
The Robbinsdale officer called off the chase, but Hudson continued at speeds of up to 90 mph before the fatal crash — the latest roadway tragedy in the Twin Cities. Just three weeks ago, a speeding driver killed five women after blowing through a red light at 90 mph and broadsiding their sedan in south Minneapolis.
Hudson is charged with fleeing police resulting in death and fleeing police resulting in great bodily harm. He also faces one count of criminal vehicular homicide and one count of criminal vehicular operation.
The County Attorney's Office said that fleeing causing death is the same level of severity in state sentencing guidelines as second-degree unintentional murder.
When asked why he didn't stop when the officer tried to stop him, Hudson said he "didn't want to," according to the charges.
The Gerdings worked as special-education teachers at Coon Rapids Middle School, according to a spokeswoman for the Anoka-Hennepin school district.
Their daughters, 6-year-old Emelia and 2-year-old Eleanor, "thankfully were not in the vehicle at the time of the collision," relatives wrote in an online fundraiser.
Hudson was driving alone Saturday night in a Tesla. He had a state-issued instruction permit and wasn't legally allowed to drive unless a licensed driver over the age of 18 was with him, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
The car was not stolen. Its owner told the Star Tribune he was letting a friend use it for a while. That friend said Hudson took the keys from her while she was sleeping.
An officer spotted the Tesla around 8:15 p.m. traveling about 55 mph on eastbound N. 42nd Avenue as it passed over Hwy. 100. Charges say the posted speed limit is 30 mph.
The officer noticed the driver was wearing a ninja-style face mask and made several quick turns to avoid the officer attempting to catch up and make a traffic stop for speeding.
Squad lights and siren were activated on Orchard at 40th, where Hudson sped off and the officer ended the pursuit after a block.
Video surveillance provided to the Star Tribune from a resident about two blocks away from the crash scene showed the Tesla racing south on Orchard and blowing a stop sign without slowing at 38th, where cross traffic has no stop sign.
Charges say the officer "never lost sight of the Tesla" and saw it also fail to stop at the stop sign at 36th, a major thoroughfare in Robbinsdale, where Hudson continued through the intersection "at a high rate of speed, slamming into a minivan that had no stop sign and had the right of way."
The Gerdings had to be extricated from the minivan. Emily died at the hospital while John was in a coma for days and had to be intubated, charges say. He suffered a traumatic brain injury and brain bleeding.
Hudson was in the hospital until Tuesday and then booked in jail. He makes his first court appearance Thursday.
Star Tribune staff writer Paul Walsh contributed to this report.
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