Roseville police are asking anyone who witnessed the crash in which two pedestrians died Thursday night on Larpenteur Avenue to assist them in finding out what happened.
In particular, police want to reach drivers of a white SUV and two white/silver sedans that were at the intersection of Rice Street and Larpenteur Avenue just after 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
Based on video captured of the crash by a nearby surveillance system, the white SUV was heading south on Rice Street and turned right onto westbound Larpenteur at about 5:34 p.m., or just before the crash, police say.
The driver of the first white/silver sedan was northbound on Rice Street and turned left onto westbound Larpenteur about 10 seconds later, or just after the crash.
The third vehicle followed the same path as the first white/silver sedan.
In addition to the drivers, police say they want to speak to any passengers who may have been in the vehicles.
Anyone with information on the potential witnesses is asked to contact police.
The driver, John Michael Rickey, 72, of St. Paul, struck and killed Robert Blake Buxton, 47, of Roseville, and Meridith Nypree Aikens, 45, of Roseville, as he turned from southbound Rice Street onto westbound Larpenteur in a dark blue GMC Sierra pickup truck at 5:34 p.m. Thursday.
Rickey immediately pulled over and is cooperating with police.
A sample of his blood was taken to determine if alcohol was a factor in the crash; results of the blood test are still pending, as is the collection of other evidence related to the scene.
A police spokeswoman said Friday that while Rickey did not seem “obviously” impaired following the crash, he told officers he consumed some alcohol with dinner prior to the crash.
Roseville Deputy Chief Erika Scheider added that Rickey reportedly didn’t see the pedestrians before he hit them, which is why police are hoping others in the area at the time might be able to help piece together what happened.
“Why were they in the roadway, were they running across the road, which direction were they headed. … We still don’t have a complete picture of what happened,” Scheider said.
“We know there were individuals in that area in the moments before and in the moments after the accident, so hearing from them on what they may have seen or heard is certainly going to help the (crash) reconstruction and the investigation,” she added.
The crash location, near Woodbridge Street, does not have as much street light illumination as the Larpenteur-Rice intersection farther east.
In addition to other drivers, police are hoping to speak with a pedestrian who had contact with a St. Paul police officer at the crash-scene. The person, wearing a green jacket at the time, left before police could identify him or get a statement.
Larpenteur is on the border between Roseville and St. Paul.
The Minnesota State Patrol’s crash reconstruction specialists are assisting in the investigation.
Anyone with information related to the crash is asked to call Roseville police at 651-767-0640 or submit a tip online at www.cityofroseville.com/3194/Crime-Tips.
Neither Buxton’s nor Aikens’ family could be reached for comment.