Plea deal: 90 days max for unlicensed driver who hurt 3 teens with hot-rodding stunt in Minneapolis

A 21-year-old man has admitted to hitting and critically injuring a 14-year-old boy and slightly injuring two other teenagers while doing tire-squealing burnouts in downtown Minneapolis late one spring night in 2021.

Markques A. Floyd of Little Canada agreed to plead guilty Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court to felony criminal vehicular operation in connection with the late-night incident May 21 when "a large group of hot-rodders" gathered near N. Border and 3rd avenues, according to the criminal complaint.

The plea agreement between the prosecution and the defense calls for no more than 90 days in jail and payment of restitution in an amount yet to be determined.

The prosecution also agreed to Floyd being sentenced under what is called a stay of imposition. That would mean the conviction would be reduced to a misdemeanor if he abides by his sentence and terms of probation. Sentencing is scheduled for March 28.

At the time he was doing "donuts," Floyd was driving with a license that had been suspended since Jan. 12, 2021, the state Department of Public Safety said.

Soon after he was charged, Floyd told the Star Tribune, "I sincerely apologize and hope the 14-year-old is OK." The complaint did not identify any of the injured teens.

The physical risk of watching the high-revving vehicles up close in Minneapolis soon proved to be more than just being run over. Over the first weekend in June of 2021, two people in their late teens were fatally shot by stray gunfire while at separate gatherings in Minneapolis.

Vanessa Jensen, 19, was killed June 6 in the 2200 block of N. 2nd Street when two hot-rodders opened fire on each other during a dispute.

The following day, Nicholas Enger, 17, died when he was shot while watching street racing on E. Lake Street where it goes under Hiawatha Avenue. This incident also has gone unsolved.

There have been no charges filed in either of those incidents. According to the complaint in the Floyd case:

Police were alerted about 11:40 p.m. that someone had been hit in an area where "hot-rodders often gather by the hundreds with their vehicles to conduct burnouts and street races."

The victim was unconscious and had a large cut on his head. Paramedics took the critically injured teen to a hospital, where doctors said he suffered a traumatic brain injury and a broken bone above his left eye.

Witnesses said the driver of the 2003 Infiniti G35 was doing doughnuts in the middle of the road "by burning out his tires and driving in a circle" before losing control and striking a crowd of spectators. Floyd reportedly abandoned his vehicle and ran away.

Two 17-year-olds also were struck, but both declined medical attention for minor leg pain.

In an interview soon afterward with police, Floyd admitted doing doughnuts when the car went into the crowd. He said he ran because the crowd was growing aggressive.