A driver who was killed on the edge of downtown Minneapolis by a suspected hit-and-run motorist with a dangerous driving history and no valid license has been identified as a professional singer on her way to a voice lesson.
Woman killed in Mpls. hit-and-run ID'd as Minnesota Chorale singer on way to voice lesson
Krista Sandstrom was en route to a voice lesson; the other driver has a history of dangerous driving and did not have a valid license.
June 5, 2017 at 1:38PM
Krista L. Sandstrom, 47, of St. Paul, died in the collision early Thursday evening at Park Avenue S. and E. 15th Street, the Hennepin County medical examiner's office said Saturday.
The other driver, verified by police as Israel Delossantos, 30, of Apple Valley, remained jailed Sunday on suspicion of criminal vehicular homicide. He has yet to be charged.
Delossantos was speeding in his sport-utility vehicle on Park Avenue when he struck Sandstrom's subcompact car as it traveled on 15th, according to police.
Two men ran from the SUV, even though "some witnesses tried to physically keep [Delossantos] at the scene," said police Sgt. Catherine Michal.
Officers soon caught up to them near the scene, but at different locations. The SUV's passenger was released after speaking with authorities, while Delossantos was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) for his injuries and then booked the next afternoon into jail.
Delossantos is under intensive court-supervised release in connection with an armed second-degree assault conviction in 2014 in Dakota County. His criminal history also includes two convictions for drunken driving, at least six convictions for domestic abuse or assault, and four convictions for driving after having his license revoked. He was driving with a canceled license at the time of the crash, the state Department of Public Safety said Monday.
Sandstrom was a member of Minnesota Chorale, the principal chorus of the Minnesota Orchestra, according to a detailed biography accompanying a YouTube video of her singing in April with her husband, Christian McGuire, at Trotter's Cafe in St. Paul.
Away from performing, Sandstrom worked at HCMC as the director of leadership and organizational development.
"Krista's last text to Christian was 'Love you too' sent around 3:30 p.m." on the day of the crash," the online posting read.
"She was scheduled for a voice lesson at 6:00 after which she was to meet a 7:10 audition time with the Minnesota Chorale" at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, the posting continued, "and then head back to St. Paul to watch the rest of her 11-year-old daughter's softball game."
When she didn't show up as expected, her husband filed a missing person's report with authorities.
"At 11:30 p.m. [Thursday], he was visited by two police officers who informed him of his wife's death," the posting's final words read.
Sandstrom and McGuire have two children, one born in 2004 and another in 2006.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
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