Suspect in deadly Little Canada hit-and-run went to McDonald's after striking victim, charges say

A 36-year-old Twin Cities man has been charged with criminal vehicular homicide for his role in a fatal hit-and-run over the weekend, according to court documents filed on Monday.

Police were called to the area of Viking Drive and Lillehei Plaza in Little Canada, Minnesota, at approximately 2:25 a.m. Sunday for a report of a person lying on the side of the road. There, officers found a dead man, groceries scattered across the road and pieces of a vehicle.

Charges say police were able to determine the pieces belonged to a Nissan Rogue SUV. While searching nearby parking lots for the suspect vehicle, a deputy found a Nissan Rogue in the parking lot of an apartment building on County Road B2 E that had damage to the front passenger side of the vehicle. Officers matched a body clip they found at the scene of the crash to the car.

Police executed a search warrant for the apartment of the vehicle's owner around 6:42 a.m. When the suspect answered the door, officers observed that he smelled like alcohol and had a wristband from a brewery on.

Surveillance footage allegedly shows the victim walking through the parking lot of a McDonald's, toward his residence on the 100 block of Nature Way. A short time later, the suspect's damaged vehicle is seen pulling into the McDonald's parking lot, where the suspect proceeded to go through the drive-thru and order food.

Charges say security footage from the apartment building showed the suspect walking to his car in the parking garage just after 2 a.m. At the time, his vehicle appeared to be fully intact. Upon returning at 2:11 a.m., his car was damaged, with the passenger-side mirror dangling.

A search warrant reveals the suspect had a video of a DJ at a bar at approximately 12:52 a.m. Sunday. Less than an hour later, he paid an Uber for a fare from Minneapolis to his apartment in Little Canada.

In a call made at the Ramsey County Jail, charges say the suspect told a man he identified as "pops" that he "made a bad decision and bad consequences came out of it."

An autopsy found the victim suffered from several broken ribs, a spinal fracture in two places, a skull fracture and spinal cord injuries.

The suspect's bail has been set at $500,000. His next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 28.

If convicted, the suspect faces up to 10 years in prison.