Oakdale stolen car crash turns fatal

An attempted car theft and crash turned fatal on Wednesday.

On Saturday, 33-year-old Scott Hardy, of Wadena, allegedly stole a vehicle and evaded police before crashing into another vehicle at 10th Street and Century Avenue in Oakdale, according to the city. Hardy and two other adults in the vehicle were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the other car, Shirley Bilden, of Maplewood, suffered critical injuries and died Wednesday.

Hardy is in custody at the Washington County Jail and has been charged with receiving stolen property, attempted auto theft and fleeing police in a motor vehicle resulting in the death of another person.

Officers originally responded to a possible stolen vehicle call at the Cub Foods on 10th Street. When police approached Hardy, he fled into a residential neighborhood and through the yards of homes. They later learned that he had crashed into a second vehicle. Witnesses to the collision said Hardy fled from the vehicle on foot but was apprehended by a good Samaritan after trying to steal a car in Maplewood.