St. Paul Police are asking for the public’s help to find a hit-and-run driver who struck and critically injured a pedestrian at 6:22 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, on Rice Street near Pennsylvania Avenue. Police released a still frame from video on Feb. 19, 2026, of a blue minivan believed to be a Honda Odyssey. (Courtesy of RiceSherburne.com via the St. Paul Police Department)

As St. Paul police ask for tips in a serious hit-and-run crash this week, they’re also sounding the alarm about safety after two other pedestrians were struck and killed this month.

Having three such crashes in a two-week span “is extremely concerning,” said Cmdr. Jeremy Ellison, who’s in charge of the Traffic and Pedestrian Safety unit, on Thursday.

A 58-year-old woman remains in critical condition after a driver struck her on Rice Street near Pennsylvania Avenue at 6:22 p.m. Monday.

“Our investigators have been working extremely hard,” Ellison said and they’re asking anyone with information to call them at 651-266-5656. Police believe the suspect was driving a 2005-2007 blue Honda Odyssey minivan.

Just before the crash, the driver turned onto Pennsylvania Avenue from Como Avenue. An officer on patrol in a marked squad happened to be about 200 feet behind, according to Ellison. The vehicle swerved and the officer noted debris in the road, but as he got closer he saw a woman was lying in the street.

He stopped to render aid and quickly realized the driver had not swerved to avoid debris, but had struck the woman, Ellison said. He immediately dispatched information to other officers, who searched for the suspect vehicle. They weren’t able to find it.

CCTV cameras showed the driver headed south on Rice Street, east on University Avenue, turned onto 12th Street and entered westbound Interstate 94.

Two pedestrians killed

The other recent pedestrian crashes happened Feb. 3 at Front Avenue and Grotto Street, and Feb. 11 at Phalen Boulevard and Rose Avenue.

In the first, Thomas John Paulson, 58, died. The driver stayed at the scene.

Police arrested the 49-year-old on suspicion of criminal vehicular homicide because he showed signs of potential impairment, Ellison said. He was released, pending the results of blood testing, and the investigation is ongoing.

Last week, a driver struck Donald John Piele, 66, as he traveled in a crosswalk on his mobility scooter. He died at the hospital the next day and police tracked down a 21-year-old man who was charged Tuesday with criminal vehicular homicide.

The woman struck Monday was crossing Pennsylvania Avenue, north to south, mid-block between Como Avenue and Rice Street, Ellison said.

“Our community is grieving, and we’re committed to finding answers and supporting these families, taking steps to prevent future tragedies,” through education and enforcement when it comes to pedestrian safety, Ellison said.

Safety tips for drivers, pedestrians

“Pedestrians are our most vulnerable road users, and it’s a two-way street,” Ellison said. “We need both the pedestrian and the driver to do their part to make sure that everybody’s safe.”

For pedestrians, Ellison recommends:

Cross at intersections and crosswalks.
Make eye contact with drivers before crossing and stay alert.
When it’s dark, wear visible or reflective clothing, and consider carrying a light.

Minnesota law requires drivers to stop for pedestrians at both marked and unmarked crosswalks at intersections.

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Ellison urges drivers to slow down: “Speed dramatically increases the chance of death when there’s a pedestrian crash because they don’t have any protection. … And if they’re driving slower, they’re more likely to see the pedestrian and be able to stop safely.”

Drivers should also be cautious about not passing stopped vehicles, which may be stopped for a pedestrian that is crossing.

Though two of the three pedestrian crashes this month in St. Paul involved hit-and-run drivers, that is not the norm, Ellison said.

“It probably feels like they’re more common” because they usually receive a lot of attention, “but if you look at the data, it’s more likely that people are stopping and calling for help versus fleeing,” Ellison said.