Man, 31, Critical After St. Paul Hit-&-Run; Cops Searching For Driver
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – St. Paul Police are asking for the public's help to find a vehicle involved in a hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning that has left a man hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.
Police said the accident happened at the intersection Atlantic Street and Phalen Boulevard, but haven't specified when the incident took place.
The victim, 31-year-old Wade Souster of Inver Grove Heights, was found at about 4 a.m. Thursday about 10 feet from the crosswalk at that intersection. It's not known how long he was lying there before he was found, but Souster is now at Regions Hospital with life-threatening injuries.
"The only thing we are certain of at this time is that he was hit," St. Paul Police Public Information Officer Howie Padilla said.
Padilla says Souster was found about 10 to 15 feet from the crosswalk.
Authorities are looking for the vehicle involved, but don't have much of a description. Police said it will have fresh damage to its front end, possibly on the driver's side. Police said the public and area body shops should be on the lookout for a vehicle with that type of damage.
"This is a situation when we have very little to go on or nothing to go on," Padilla said.
Souster's family says he now lives in Lake Phalen and would often go for walks late at night. They say they are thankful that Wade is alive and hope and pray that he will have a full recovery.
Investigators are searching area body shops in hopes of finding a car connected to this crime.
Anyone with information about the incident should call St. Paul Police at 651-266-5722.
