Brooklyn Park Man Charged in Crash That Killed Five Women
A Brooklyn Park man accused of driving nearly 100 miles per hour and running a red light before crashing into and killing five young women has been charged with 10 counts of criminal vehicular homicide.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced the charges Thursday against Derrick Thompson, 27, who is also accused of fleeing the scene. Thompson is the son of former state Rep. John Thompson.
The crash killed 20-year-old Sahra Gesaade of Brooklyn Center and four of her friends: Sabiriin Ali, 17, of Bloomington; Salma Abdikadir, 20, of St. Louis Park; Sagal Hersi, 19, of Minneapolis; and Siham Adam, 19, of Minneapolis.
According to the charges, officers also found more than 2,000 fentanyl pills, as well as 35 grams of cocaine and 13 ecstasy pills in the rented vehicle Thompson had been driving. In addition, police found a loaded gun with an extended magazine.
“We value each of these young women’s lives and plan to seek a separate sentence for each life lost,” said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty in announcing the charges. ” I firmly believe in the potential for redemption and second chances, but Mr. Thompson has repeatedly engaged in extraordinarily dangerous criminal driving conduct related to apparent large-scale drug dealing.”
Thompson is a convicted felon having fled police and causing a hit-and-run crash in 2018 in California. In that case, the crash victim was left in a coma for several months and suffered a traumatic brain injury. Thompson’s driver’s license was reinstated last March.
Sahra Gesaade, 20, of Brooklyn Center was one of five women killed in the crash.
Thompson Rented SUV Just Before Fatal Crash
The latest crash linked to Thompson occurred Friday, June 16, just after 10 p.m. in south Minneapolis.
According to the criminal complaint:
A Minnesota State Patrol trooper parked at a bus stop spotted a black Cadillac Escalade traveling 95 miles per hour in a 55-mph zone on northbound Interstate Highway 35W. The complaint said the SUV was weaving in and out of traffic lanes “in a reckless manner” and was in the far-left lane before abruptly crossing four lanes of traffic to exit at Lake Street.
After exiting, the Cadillac Escalade was seen continuing at a high rate of speed and did not slow down when it went through a red red light at the 2nd Avenue and Lake Street intersection, striking a Honda Civic on the driver side of the vehicle. The crash, which was captured on video surveillance, had enough force to “crush” the Honda Civic and pin the smaller vehicle against the wall of the I-35W bridge, the complaint said.
Moments after the crash, Thompson was seen hobbling at a nearby Taco Bell restaurant. When officers found him and noticed the laceration on his forehead, the suspect described it as “an old cut.” He then told officers he was injured when he “fell” earlier in the night.
Witnesses positively identified Thompson as the man seen leaving the scene of the crash. The complaint said Thompson also approached someone’s car asking that person for a ride, an exchange captured on cell phone video. Medical personnel confirmed Thompson sustained a broken hip from the crash.
Police determined that Thompson had rented the SUV 24 minutes before the crash at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, the complaint said.
Additional charges could be filed in the case as prosecutors await toxicology results. Moriarty said her office is also engaged in discussions with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI about possible federal charges related to the firearm and narcotics.
“He has caused immeasurable pain and suffering in multiple states and we will seek a significant sentence that appropriately reflects the devastation he has caused and ensures a lengthy period of incapacitation,” said Moriarty.
The five women victims in the crash were pronounced dead at the scene. They were laid to rest earlier this week in a ceremony attended by thousands of mourners from across the Twin Cities.
