Man charged in hit-and-run death at Blaine Target
A man who was run over and killed in a Target parking lot on Wednesday in Blaine had been attempting to recover items stolen from his St. Paul business, according to criminal charges filed against the driver.
Pierre Jerel Anderson, 30, of St. Paul, was charged Friday with one count of second-degree murder in connection with the death of 58-year-old Kenneth Alan Neisen of Brooklyn Park.
According to the criminal complaint, Neisen owned several businesses in St. Paul that were burglarized — and then spotted what appeared to be some of those items for sale on Facebook Marketplace. Associates of Neisen made arrangements to meet the seller at the Target on 109th Avenue in Blaine.
The charges say that Neisen and his associates went to the meeting in two vehicles, and met with the seller. After spotting items believed to have been stolen in the burglary, Neisen and the others used their vehicles to partially block the seller's SUV. The driver of that SUV then drove around the other vehicles and accelerated, striking Neisen and running him over.
Neisen was transported to a hospital with significant injuries, and died a short time later.
Witnesses provided police with a description of the SUV and the driver; the vehicle — with front-end damage — was later located at a gas station in Ham Lake. After police arrived a man fled from the gas station on foot and was later located; he was identified as Anderson. Authorities said he matched the witnesses' description of the SUV driver.
According to court records, Anderson has theft and burglary convictions going back a decade. He's being held on $500,000 bail and is due back in court on Jan. 29.
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.