Maplewood man charged in fatal St. Paul hit-and-run

A Maplewood man has been charged in connection to a hit-and-run crash in St. Paul that led to the death of 68-year-old John Benjamin.

A criminal complaint states Robert Wilson Kinney has been charged with one count of criminal vehicular homicide.

According to the complaint, officers were called Friday night to the area of McKnight Road North and Margaret Street on the report of a man lying in a snowbank.

First responder arrived and the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

1 arrested in connection to fatal hit-and-run in St. Paul

Investigators were able to find debris that appeared to be from a vehicle’s lights, reflector and passenger side mirror.

Police took the debris to an auto body shop that was able to confirm the debris was likely from a platinum gray Chevy Malibu.

The complaint says investigators received an anonymous tip that said the person involved in the crash was “named Bob” and frequents a bar in the area. The tipster also said the person drives a car that matched the suspect vehicle, and was drinking at the bar the night of the crash.

According to the complaint, officer’s checked the bar’s credit card slips from the night of the crash and came across a recipt with Kinney’s name on it.

When officers went to speak with Kinney, they noticed a dent on the panel between the front passenger headlight and the wheel. A portion of the front bumper was also missing.

Experts at an auto body shop told investigators that the Chevy Classic, Kinney’s vehicle, was basically a model made from the same parts as a Chevy Malibu.

According to the complaint, Kinney has prior misdemeanor DWI charges.