Crime & Safety
Second Teen Dies After Fatal Crash on I-35W
Authorities report that a rollover on Interstate 35W has claimed the lives of both Frederick J. Alexander, 16, of Burnsville, and Alesha Roehl, 17, of Northfield.
Updated at 4:20 p.m. on Wednesday
Two are dead after a rollover accident that began on Buck Hill Road and ended in the southbound lanes of Interstate 35W.
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At about 3 p.m. FOX 9 News reported a serious crash with injuries at County Road 46 and I-35W in Burnsville. Lt. Eric Roeske of the Minnesota State Patrol reports that the vehicle was headed southbound on Buck Hill Road before the driver lost control. The car rolled down an embankment several times, ejecting two people, and landed on the freeway.
According to the State Patrol, there were five people riding in the vehicle, a 1992 Toyota Camry. Two are dead: , 16, of Burnsville and , 17, of Burnsville, who was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
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Two other passengers suffered only minor injuries. They were transported to the Hennepin County Medical Center for treatment. The driver of the Camry was treated for minor injuries at Burnsville's .
The identities of the fellow riders have not yet been officially released. According to recent reports from both the Star Tribune and the Pioneer Press, the two victims went to an alternative learning center near Lakeville South High School. The other three teens are students at Lakeville South.
At this point, the precise cause of the accident is unknown. According to witnesses, the car was speeding and swerving shortly before the crash, the STRIB and Pioneer Press reported. The driver was a 17-year-old boy with a provisional driver's license, which stipulates that the driver should not have more than one passenger under the age of 20 in the car.
"The purpose of limiting the number of passengers in the vehicle is really to try to create an environment where the driver is less distracted, especially for that new driver who has less experience, so they can focus on driving," Roeske told the Pioneer Press. "We don't know if it was distraction, if he was showing off or trying to scare someone. I wouldn't want to attribute any of those things yet."
After the investigation concludes, the state patrol will forward the case to local prosecutors, who will decide whether criminal charges against the driver are in order.
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• is handling the funeral arrangements for Alexander and Roehl. to see the death notice for Roehl. Alexander's obituary can be seen .
• Patch will update with new information.
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