Woman dies after being hit by wrong-way driver on Hwy. 252

Updated: 3:20 p.m. | Posted: 11:44 a.m.

A driver going the wrong way on Highway 252 in Brooklyn Park struck a car head-on Saturday night, killing a 30-year-old woman.

Jenna Bixby of Nowthen died at the scene after the Hyundai Elantra she was driving was struck head on by a Toyota Sequoia SUV driven by a 72-year-old man from Blaine.

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The Minnesota State Patrol said drinking is suspected as a factor in the crash, which happened around 8 p.m. on southbound Hwy. 252 near Brookdale Drive.

The driver of the SUV has life-threatening injuries and was taken to North Memorial Medical Center. He has not been charged in the crash.

In a Facebook post, Jenna Bixby's husband, Dan Bixby said she was on her way to work Saturday night. City documents show Jenna Bixby began work as a 911 dispatcher in Minneapolis 2014. She was a communications training officer who coached and developed new employees, and a member of the city's Community Outreach and Education team.

On Sunday afternoon, the city released a statement reading, "Our staff at Minneapolis Emergency Communications is shocked and saddened to lose our teammate Jenna Bixby. She was dedicated to helping others and was taken from us on her way to do just that."