A juvenile girl is dead after she fled during a police pursuit in Itasca County early Sunday morning, authorities said.
Around 1:30 a.m., an Itasca County Sheriff’s Office deputy attempted to pull over a vehicle with its headlights off that was driving west on County Road 63 near the intersection with County Road 271.
According to a sheriff’s office release, the deputy drove after the driver for about four miles, before the fleeing car crashed near Hwy. 6 and County Road 11. The driver, a juvenile girl, was the sole occupant.
The girl died at the scene. She was not wearing a seat belt. Police did not suspect alcohol was a factor in the crash.
Police did not immediately provide the girl’s age. Mike Ernster, spokesman with the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said officials are working with the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office to identify the driver and notify her family.
“We are deeply saddened by this motor vehicle crash that resulted in the loss of life and extend our deepest condolences to all those affected by this tragedy,” Itasca County Sheriff Joe Dasovich said in the release. “We ask the public to keep those impacted in their thoughts and to respect the privacy of those involved during this incredibly difficult time.”
