St. Louis Park driver charged with striking two pedestrians, killing one and wounding the other

A suspected drunken driver was charged Tuesday with hitting two pedestrians in St. Louis Park, killing one and wounding the other.

Jeremy Ryan Sherman, 38, of St. Louis Park, was charged in Hennepin County District Court with criminal vehicular homicide while under the influence of alcohol and criminal vehicular operation while under the influence of alcohol.

According to the complaint, police responded around 6 p.m. Monday to the area near commercial printer Japs-Olson Co. at 7500 Excelsior Blvd. for a reported vehicle-pedestrian incident. Police found two people lying unconscious in the street. A woman, who would have turned 52 on Tuesday, was pronounced dead at the scene. A 60-year-old man was found severely injured and taken to the hospital.

Witnesses said the man and woman had been crossing the street in the crosswalk when a vehicle traveling north on Meadowbrook Lane struck the victims. A witness told police Sherman’s vehicle was “traveling very fast” and did not appear to slow down before striking the two pedestrians, according to the complaint.

While at the scene, police say they detected “a strong odor of alcohol” coming from Sherman’s breath. Sherman denied drinking alcohol and said he had just gotten off work. He said he was “freaking out” after he “just hit two people with my car.” Sherman refused to provide a preliminary breath test. A blood sample from Sherman, which was later taken after police obtained a warrant, is being submitted for further analysis.

Sherman’s first court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.