2 siblings run over in Mpls. now home; 1 other still critical, in new hospital

Two of the three young siblings run over on a playground this week in north Minneapolis have recovered well enough in the hospital to come home, while the third remained in critical condition Friday and has been moved to another facility, their mother said.

Kayden Peltier, 2, was the most severely injured when a motorist fleeing the State Patrol in a full-size SUV raced through residential streets Monday morning before veering onto a playground, where the boy and his six siblings were spending time with their father.

Kayden had surgery at North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale to remove his spleen, and suffered serious blood loss, fractures in his neck and pelvis, and bleeding in his skull, according to felony charges filed Wednesday against the driver.

The two others run over in the park near Jenny Lind Elementary School, 4-year-old Lillianna and 3-year-old Konnor, "have been able to come home," said mother Nicolle Peltier, who was at a college in St. Paul taking a test at the time.

"Kayden has been transferred to another hospital better equipped to take care of his injuries and his needs," she said late Friday afternoon. "He had surgery today and is still in critical condition."

Nicolle Peltier said that she and her husband, Kyle, "would also like to thank the community for prayers and support" expressed on behalf of the family, which moved to north Minneapolis in late March. A GoFundMe page has been created to help the family.

Kabaar W. Powell, 27, of Minneapolis, remained jailed Friday in lieu of $500,000 bail on charges of criminal vehicular operation, fleeing police and having a gun in public without a permit. His next court appearance is July 11.

The charges say Powell led the patrol on a chase that lasted roughly 6 minutes, prompted him to run 22 stop signs and at times topped 80 miles per hour.

County Attorney Mike Freeman said Powell eluded a trooper in a similar pursuit about the same time of day three days earlier and in roughly the same part of the city. In both instances, he was suspected of speeding.

The patrol's administration has not commented publicly about its assessment of the troopers' conduct in Monday's pursuit in two squad cars and has yet to address whether the chase violated agency policy.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482