State Patrol identifies paramedics in interstate crash with semi

Paramedic killed after ambulance crashes into semi.
A paramedic was killed and another injured when their ambulance crashed into a tractor-trailer on eastbound Interstate 694 at the split with Interstate 94 in Brooklyn Center on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.
Matt Sepic | MPRnews

The Minnesota State Patrol said a 24-year-old St. Paul woman was killed when the ambulance she was riding in crashed into the back of a semi truck that had broken down on the side of Interstate 694 in Brooklyn Center Monday night.

The state patrol identified the paramedic as Marina G. DeSteno-Challeen. She was in the passenger seat of a HealthEast ambulance driven by Susanna G. Kelly, 27. Kelly was taken to North Memorial Health Hospital and was expected to survive her injuries. DeSteno-Challeen was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

Both were wearing seat belts and the state patrol says alcohol was not involved.

The ambulance was on its way from Monticello to Minneapolis when it tried to merge onto Interstate 94 from 694 and hit a semi pulled over in the "apex" of the two major highways around 7 p.m. It was not carrying a patient at the time and did not have siren or lights on.

The driver of the semi, Paulette A. Mejia, 44 of Temple, Georgia, was not injured. A tow truck was attempting to move the truck which had been stalled for around 15 minutes, a state patrol spokesperson said Monday.

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.