A 28-year-old man, Derrick John Thompson, is facing five counts of third-degree murder following a devastating high-speed crash in Minneapolis that claimed the lives of five young women in June 2023.
Lawmaker’s son arrested on third-degree murder charges
The charges, filed this week by Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, add to the ten counts of vehicular homicide Thompson already faces for the fatal incident.
According to authorities, Thompson had rented a Cadillac Escalade just minutes before the crash and was speeding at 95 mph in a 55-mph zone, weaving dangerously through traffic on I-35W.
The tragic accident occurred on June 16, 2023, at around 10 p.m. when a Minnesota State Police trooper spotted the Escalade hurtling down the highway at excessive speeds, cutting across multiple lanes of traffic.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the trooper was unable to activate his emergency lights before Thompson took an exit ramp, ran a red light, and slammed into a Honda Civic carrying five women.
The impact was catastrophic, killing all five victims instantly. The Civic was crushed against the wall of the I-35W bridge.
“The trooper immediately went to the black Honda Civic. The trooper observed that the black Honda Civic had extensive damage and all five victims in the Honda Civic had no signs of life and were deceased,” read the affidavit.
The young victims were identified as Salma Mohamed Abdikadir, 20, Sahra Liban Gesaade, 20, Sagal Burhaan Hersi, 19, Siham Adan Odhowa, 19, and Sabiriin Mohamoud Ali, 17.
Diver flees to avoid third-degree murder charges
Thompson, meanwhile, fled the scene on foot after the crash, limping to a nearby Taco Bell parking lot where police later apprehended him.
He was found with a head wound that he claimed was “an old cut,” denying that it was sustained in the accident.
Witnesses at the scene, however, quickly identified him as the driver of the Escalade. Further investigation revealed that Thompson had rented the vehicle less than 30 minutes before the crash.
The affidavit details a disturbing discovery inside the Escalade. In addition to the wreckage, authorities found a Glock handgun with an extended magazine, approximately 2,000 pills of suspected fentanyl, 13 pills of suspected MDMA, and over 35 grams of cocaine.
Toxicology reports also showed that Thompson had THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana, in his system at the time of the crash.
In a phone call from jail, Thompson admitted to being the driver of the SUV but attempted to shift the blame for the crash.
He claimed he was trying to avoid another vehicle that was “on his bumper” at the time of the collision, though video footage of the incident showed no car behind him.
“The senseless deaths of these five young women at the hands of Mr. Thompson has devastated their families and communities,” said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty in a statement. “The sad fact is that he has done this before.”
Thompson’s criminal past includes a previous incident in California, where he was arrested after being involved in another high-speed chase while fleeing from police.
During that chase, he crashed a different rented vehicle into a pedestrian, pinning the woman against a concrete wall and causing severe injuries.
A search of the vehicle at that time yielded 18 pounds of marijuana and $20,000 in cash. Thompson had been released from prison for that offense just six months prior to the Minneapolis crash.
Moriarty indicated that Thompson’s criminal record, combined with his actions in this case, warranted the elevated charges of third-degree murder.
“His lengthy record of dangerous driving, the trail of devastation he’s left in his wake, and his conduct in this case make these more serious charges appropriate,” she stated. “We will continue to seek a lengthy period of incarceration to keep the community safe.”
Suspect is the son of a controversial former politician
Derrick John Thompson is the son of former Minnesota State Representative John Thompson, a controversial figure who served in the legislature from 2021 to 2023.
The elder Thompson’s time in office was marked by a series of scandals, which eventually led to his expulsion from the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) caucus in September 2021.
John Thompson’s political career took a hit after he was accused of misconduct and faced allegations of domestic abuse, although he was never convicted of such charges.
In one notable incident, Thompson claimed he had been racially profiled by police during a traffic stop in St. Paul, though it was revealed that Thompson did not have a valid Minnesota driver’s license when he was pulled over.
In 2021, a jury convicted the former Rep. Thompson of misdemeanor obstruction after he was involved in a 2019 altercation with police officers at North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale, Minnesota. He was accused of shouting at officers and attempting to block a doorway.
Despite these legal troubles, Thompson has continued to assert that he was the victim of discrimination and denied all allegations of domestic abuse that surfaced during his time in office.
“I’m the first person ever to be convicted in the House of Representatives for something I was not convicted of in court,” John Thompson said in a statement following his expulsion from the DFL caucus.
