Woman charged in Monticello hit-and-run that killed dog, injured man

A central Minnesota driver faces a felony charge after authorities allege she hit a man walking his dog, killing the animal and leaving the owner with multiple injuries.

The 62-year-old woman from St. Cloud, Minnesota, is charged with one count of criminal vehicular operation, according to court documents filed Wednesday. Authorities say she did not stay at the scene after the crash.

The Wright County Sheriff's Office responded to the crash at County Road 18 and Oak Ridge Drive in Monticello, Minnesota, around 7:30 a.m. on July 10. The deputy found the man who had been struck and another man helping him, along with the dead dog — a 14-year-old Jack Russell terrier.

The victim told the deputy he and his dog had been hit by a car, the dog was dead and the driver had fled, according to the criminal complaint. He said "it felt like he was flying before he landed on the ground." The man was taken to a hospital, where doctors determined he broke his back, ribs and right hand.

The victim described the car as a "dark sedan," and the deputy found a blue side mirror from a Subaru Forester at the scene. the complaint states. Authorities identified a similar vehicle on surveillance video and found it was registered to the St. Cloud woman.

Surveillance video from the woman's workplace, which is near the crash site, showed her parking there shortly after the incident and appearing to inspect the damage to her vehicle, the complaint states.

When investigators talked to the woman, she allegedly said she thought she hit a deer. One of her coworkers told police they were speaking on the phone with her during the crash, and that it "sounded loud" and the woman "freaked out."

The woman was arrested on Monday.