Murder charges filed against driver in crash that killed 2 women in north Minneapolis

A woman accused of crashing into another vehicle and killing two people in Minneapolis is now facing additional charges in Hennepin County Court.

On Monday, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced Teniki Latrice Steward, 39, would be charged with two counts of third-degree murder.

Steward was arrested back in December and initially charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and two counts of criminal vehicular operation.

Police say that on Dec. 16, Steward was speeding in a Buick Enclave while driving north on Emerson Avenue in north Minneapolis when she ran through a red light at 26th Avenue, hitting a Ford Explorer that had entered the intersection.

Two women inside the Explorer, Esther Fulks, 53, and Rose Reece, 57, were killed as a result of the crash.

RELATED: North Minneapolis community comes together to remember the lives of women killed in crash

After the initial impact, the Explorer veered into a bus shelter, hitting and injuring a 17-year-old boy on the sidewalk. A passenger inside the Enclave was also injured, police said.

“This was an egregious act that took Rose and Esther’s lives and injured a child waiting to go to school at a bus stop,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. “Ms. Steward was driving at extremely dangerous speeds on city streets and narrowly avoided multiple collisions before the incident occurred. Third-degree murder charges are appropriate to hold her accountable and protect our community.”

Steward’s next court appearance is a jury trial scheduled for Aug. 18.