A car thief fleeing law enforcement from a Twin Cities shopping mall crashed into a tree and killed his girlfriend, who was in the vehicle with him, according to charges filed Monday.
Dylan John Smith, 32, of St. Paul was charged in Ramsey County District Court with fleeing an officer resulting in death, criminal vehicular homicide and auto theft in connection with the wreck Friday in St. Paul that left 28-year-old Bianca Roxanne Coelho Schultz dead.
Smith remains jailed in lieu of $2.5 million bail ahead of a court appearance Tuesday. Court records do not list an attorney for him.
At the time of the crash, Smith was driving after having had his license revoked.
Court records in Minnesota show he has been convicted 15 times for theft, four times for drug-related offenses, twice for fleeing police and once each for receiving stolen property, burglary, violation of a restraining order and driving without a license.
According to the criminal complaint:
Law enforcement received an alert that a stolen car was parked outside Cub Foods on Snelling Avenue in Roseville and staked out the location. Smith exited the store, put groceries in the vehicle and sped off with deputies in pursuit and Schultz beside him on southbound Snelling into St. Paul.
A sheriff’s sergeant ended his pursuit when he saw Smith, whose speeds topped 90 miles per hour at one point, driving the wrong way on Snelling.