Boy, 11, being treated for life-threatening injuries after crash involving stolen Hyundai in Minneapolis

An 11-year-old boy believed to be a passenger in a stolen Hyundai was taken to the hospital for life-threatening injuries after a crash just before 11 p.m. Sunday in Minneapolis.

Minneapolis police said their officers responded to a two-vehicle injury crash near the intersection of 42nd and Penn Avenues North.

Investigators believe the stolen Hyundai was “traveling at a high rate of speed when it left the roadway and struck a pole, a tree, a sign, a fence, the occupied passenger vehicle, another pole and a streetlight.”

The driver and sole occupant of the other vehicle was evaluated for apparent minor injuries, police say.

Police are investigating who else was inside the stolen Hyundai at the time of the crash.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara issued a statement following the crash:

“Today we add the family of an 11-year-old boy to the list of those affected by stolen Hyundais and Kias, in addition to dozens of juveniles arrested multiple times by Minneapolis police without any accountability or support from the system. We need to hold the young people involved in these crimes accountable, in order to keep them alive. Auto manufacturers need to be held to the basic standard of theft prevention that was achieved in the 1990’s. Until then, our community will continue to be rocked by these preventable tragedies.”

MPD Chief O’Hara