Arrest made in Dinkytown hit-and-run of pedestrian

A 29-year-old man has been arrested in a hit-and-run incident in Dinkytown last week that resulted in the death of a pedestrian, police said Friday.

Formal charges were pending against the man, who was being held in the Hennepin County jail.

According to police, three pedestrians were hit last Friday as they walked home in Dinkytown. One of the three, 23-year-old Ben Van Handel, of Appleton, Wis., later died of his injuries.

According to a CaringBridge website maintained by his family, Van Handel died Thursday afternoon at Hennepin County Medical Center. He had been a student at the University of Minnesota.

Van Handel's family issued the following statement:

"Ben was a selfless, loving person who cared deeply for others. In this spirit, his organs are being donated so that other families will not have to say goodbye to their loved ones. Thank you for continuing to keep us in your thoughts and prayers."

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