A woman told police she was reaching to eat out of a bag of fast food when she drove her minivan off the road in St. Paul and caused a fiery crash that killed her passenger, according to charges.
Ralohn Lorrane Hare, 35, of St. Paul was charged Wednesday in Ramsey County District Court with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the single-vehicle wreck that occurred about 3:25 a.m. on Nov. 2 at Arlington and Prosperity avenues on the city’s East Side.
Investigators believe Hare was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, the criminal complaint noted.
Officers arrived at the scene and saw the minivan on the grass and engulfed in flames. Front-seat passenger Qiara “Keke” Gleason, 26, of St. Paul was trapped inside and declared dead at the scene.
Hare was charged by summons and is due in court on Jan. 9. Court records do not list an attorney for her. The Minnesota Star Tribune has reached to Hare for her response to the allegations.
According to the criminal complaint and police:
Officers arrived at the crash scene and determined that Hare ran a stop sign on southbound Hazelwood Street, jumped the curb and crashed at Arlington and Prosperity.
Police dragged Hare to safety away from the burning minivan. She told officers she was distracted while driving “by talking to [Gleason] and reaching into the White Castle bag” before crashing, the complaint read.
