A 22-year-old man from Fridley, Minnesota, has been charged with felony criminal vehicular homicide after allegedly driving a Tesla over 100 mph before crashing into another vehicle in St. Paul, killing its driver. The incident occurred early Wednesday morning on Interstate 94. Authorities say the suspect claimed no memory of the collision.
On Wednesday morning around 2 a.m., a Minnesota State Patrol trooper spotted a black Tesla traveling at 84 mph in a 55 mph zone on the ramp from Pascal Street to eastbound Interstate 94 in St. Paul, according to charging documents from Ramsey County. The trooper followed the vehicle without activating lights or sirens as it accelerated to over 100 mph and then turned off its headlights while exiting at Dale Street. Moments later, the trooper observed sparks and smoke at the intersection of Dale Street and Concordia Avenue, where the Tesla had collided with the driver's side of a Toyota RAV4, pushing it across several lanes into a retaining wall.
The RAV4's driver, 31-year-old Benjamin Michael Villano, suffered severe injuries, including bleeding from his mouth, nose, and ears, and was pronounced dead at the scene despite efforts by paramedics. The Tesla's driver, identified as 22-year-old Musab Ibrahim Kosar from Fridley, and his 19-year-old female passenger were both covered in blood and in significant pain. They claimed no memory of the crash and were extricated from the vehicle and hospitalized. Kosar's injuries are not life-threatening, but he remains under care, with a warrant issued for his arrest; no initial court appearance has been scheduled.
At the hospital, Kosar again told investigators he recalled nothing of the incident. His passenger became "very emotional" upon learning of Villano's death, stating she had previously asked Kosar to stop speeding, though she did not believe he was doing so that evening. She added that the pair had broken up earlier in the day and were discussing their relationship after getting food. Kosar faces one count of criminal vehicular homicide, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted.