COON RAPIDS, Minn. (FOX 9) – A Mounds View woman was sentenced to four years in prison for an August 2024 crash that killed a pregnant mother in Coon Rapids.
Makayla Richardson pleaded guilty to one count of criminal vehicular homicide. She was sentenced to 48 months in jail, with credit for 195 days served.
What happened
The backstory:
Authorities responded to a two-car crash at 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 17, 2024, at Coon Rapids Boulevard and Springbrook Drive Northwest. The victim was a passenger in the vehicle making a right-hand turn onto Springbrook Drive when police say an F-350 truck driven by Richardson, hauling a trailer, ran a red light and hit the victim’s vehicle.
The victim, a pregnant mother, was taken to a hospital, where she and the unborn baby were both pronounced dead.
Suspect admits to drinking before crash
What the suspect said:
According to the charges, Richardson admitted to drinking alcohol before the crash but said she only had one drink. She also admitted to speeding and not having a valid driver’s license.
Inside Richardson’s truck, authorities say they found an empty can of an “alcoholic beverage.” Police said Richardson blew a 0.18 blood-alcohol level during a breath test, which more than twice the legal limit for driving in Minnesota.
