Officials ID man who died after crash into Maple Grove home's garage

A man who died after his vehicle crashed into a Maple Grove home's attached garage last week and started a fire has been identified, officials said Thursday.

Steven H. Beugen, 76, of Maple Grove died Oct. 12 from injuries suffered earlier in the day in the collision in the 15100 block of 96th Avenue, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office said.

Beugen's online obituary noted that he "was always there for his children. From setting up an ice skating rink in the backyard for his daughter's birthday, showing his son and his friends how to take apart and put together a 1972 Chevy truck, to adding a play house in the yard for his youngest daughter."

The obituary added that Beugen also "had a passion for restoring classic cars. He could be found at the Back to the '50s Weekend every year as a participant with his 1955 Ford pickup or his 1958 Pontiac Chieftain."

"Our dear neighbors tried to save him but couldn't get him out of his truck," daughter Shelly Beugen wrote on Facebook. "Then the police were able to pull him out, and they tried everything to revive him, but at the same time a huge fire broke out."

According to police:

Upon impact, the vehicle and attached garage quickly caught fire. Three police officers fought through the heavy smoke and fire to remove Beugen from the vehicle. Paramedics took him to a hospital.

Fire personnel arrived and swiftly got the blaze under control.

The preliminary investigation indicates that Beugen may have suffered a medical incident before the crash.

The officers were treated at the hospital for smoke inhalation and released, and have returned to work.