Ria Patel, 20, a student at the University of St. Thomas, was killed on impact from her boyfriend’s drunk driving crash
A 21-year-old Minnesota man fled the scene of a drunken accident he caused that crushed his girlfriend to death on impact.
Prosecutors in Hennepin County, Minneapolis said Michael Laurence Campbell was charged for operating a vehicle in a grossly negligent manner and leaving the scene of the motor vehicle accident from the crash that occurred around 3:40 a.m. Sunday.
Campbell reportedly left a party with his 20-year-old girlfriend, Ria Patel, who was sitting in the passenger seat of Campbell’s red Ford Focus at the time he ran through a traffic light by the Stinson Boulevard exit ramp off southbound Interstate 35 West.
Police in the area were informed of the horrifying matter after one witness saw the crash and confirmed Campbell got out of his vehicle and rushed to a nearby McDonald’s restaurant.
The female witness told police she noticed Campbell return to the car moments later where he frantically searched for his phone before leaving again and disregarding his lifeless girlfriend who was slumped over on the passenger side.
Michael Laurence Campbell, 21, faces vehicular homicide charges after getting behind the wheel under the influence and killing his girlfriend Patel
Early Sunday, Campbell ran his red Ford Focus through a traffic light by the Stinson Boulevard exit ramp off southbound Interstate 35 West in Minneapolis
Police in the area were informed of the horrifying matter after one witness saw the crash
The female witness told police she noticed Campbell return to the car moments later where he recovered his phone before leaving again and disregarding his lifeless girlfriend
He was identified after police found his wallet inside the car, according to the Star Tribune.
Campbell was finally located two days later at an unknown home in Wright County. He was then transported to a nearby hospital and later jailed for the crimes.
The charges report said investigators interviewed several people from the party who confirmed Campbell was hosting the drunken bash and was ‘super drunk’ before departing with his girlfriend.
After being taken into custody, Campbell admitted to authorities he had been boozing it up before getting behind the wheel where he killed his innocent partner, Patel.
Patel grew up in Eden Prairie, Minnesota and was a promising student at University of St. Thomas before she tragically passed
Patel left a party with her boyfriend Campbell before the drunken crash took her life
‘The entire passenger side of the car was crushed. … There were no visible skid marks,’ according to the report
Campbell told investigators he couldn’t stand to see Patel after the deadly crash and was traumatized by the sight before he exited the scene suddenly.
‘The entire passenger side of the car was crushed. … There were no visible skid marks,’ according to the report.
Campbell is currently being held at the Hennepin County jail on $250,000 bail.
He is set to appear in court Thursday to answer to the charges brought against him.
The complaint stated that Campbell had a history of other motor vehicle charges, which include ‘convictions for possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle, failure to stop at a stop sign and a conviction in January of this year for a hit-and-run accident for which he is still on probation,’ according to KSTP.
Patel grew up in Eden Prairie, Minnesota and was a promising student at the University of St. Thomas before she tragically passed.
Family members to Patel could not be reached at this time.
Campbell (center) is currently being held at the Hennepin County jail on $250,000 bail
Social media photos of Patel showed her looking vibrant, happy and beautiful
Patel was found dead and slumped over alone in the passenger seat of Campbell’s car
Family members to Patel could not be reached at this current time