A motorist who was killed in a collision that authorities suspect involved alcohol use by the other driver was identified Sunday as a woman who lived about block from the north Minneapolis crash scene.

Regis L. Welsh, 28, of Minneapolis, was driving his car south on Newton Avenue early Friday evening when he hit the woman's small SUV heading east on 29th Avenue, police said.

The woman's vehicle was pushed into a tree, and Welsh's car hit a parked vehicle that was unoccupied, police said.

Lisa E. Esping, 55, was identified Sunday morning by the Hennepin County medical examiner's office as the motorist who died at the scene.

Her mother, Retha Neubert, said Esping was on her way to pick up one of her children. When she didn't show up, the family wondered what had happened. It was almost 10 p.m. before they learned of the crash. Although it happened just a block and a half from their home, no one saw or heard anything, Neubert said.

Neubert said her daughter had lived with her for the past two or three years. She had formerly worked for Hennepin County, processing people who came in for welfare benefits. But she hadn't been able to work in several years.

Esping had three children and three grandchildren.

Police say that Welsh, who lives about a half-mile from the scene, ran but soon returned and was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center. Officers had a search warrant compelling him to submit to a blood test for alcohol use.

Welsh was placed under arrest on suspicion of criminal vehicular homicide. His traffic offense history includes a conviction for reckless driving in 2011.

Star Tribune staff writer Pat Pheifer contributed to this report.