Advertisement

Driver admits role in rolling feud that ended in fatal Minneapolis crash

He and another motorist were speeding down a residential street when the other driver ran a red light.

October 16, 2017 at 10:50AM
Jason A. Ritenour
Jason A. Ritenour (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

A 27-year-old man who had a rolling feud with a rival driver on a residential Minneapolis street has pleaded guilty in connection with the death of a passenger in another vehicle that happened by.

Raheem Q. Meekins, of Minneapolis, entered his plea last week in Hennepin County District Court to criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular operation. He will be sentenced on Oct. 30 to an anticipated term of eight years.

The other driver, 23-year-old Chelsea Haynes, of Minneapolis, has pleaded guilty to the same charges and is back in court on Nov. 6.

In all, four vehicles were involved in the wreck April 30 at 26th Street and Blaisdell Avenue. Jason Ritenour, 32, of Minneapolis, died. His wife, Gaea Dill-D'Ascoli, was behind the wheel and survived her injuries.

Ritenour was active in ExperTease, a center where participants get in shape doing burlesque, belly dancing, pole dancing and other performance-based routines. He also was involved in acrobatics, performed at the Renaissance Festival and elsewhere.

Meekins has a long criminal history, with convictions for drunken driving, violating orders for protection in domestic abuse cases, drug offenses and burglary.

The in-motion showdown started when a sister of Haynes' threw a brick at Meekins' SUV near Grant Street and LaSalle Avenue on the edge of downtown. Haynes was in a relationship with Meekins at the time,

From there, the combatants got in their respective vehicles, and the two bumped into each other as they sped along at speeds of 65 mph and higher, the charges against both read.

Advertisement
Advertisement

With Meekins about five car lengths behind, Haynes ran a red light at Blaisdell and 26th and hit Dill-D'Ascoli's vehicle on the passenger side.

Meekins' driver's license was revoked at the time of the crash.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482

Raheem Meekins
Raheem Meekins (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
about the writer

about the writer

Paul Walsh

Reporter

Paul Walsh is a general assignment reporter at the Minnesota Star Tribune. He wants your news tips, especially in and near Minnesota.

See Moreicon

More from No Section

See More
card image
Advertisement
Advertisement

To leave a comment, .

Advertisement