11-year-old girl killed in crash in rural western Hennepin County

INDEPENDENCE, Minn. (FOX 9) - An 11-year-old girl was tragically killed Wednesday morning after a family vehicle was struck by a driver who police say went through a stop sign in Independence, Minn.

Deadly crash in Independence

The backstory:

Shortly before 8 a.m., the West Hennepin Public Safety Department says the family of six from Maple Plain was on their way to school early Wednesday morning when the crash happened at County Road 6 and County Road 83 in the rural city of Independence, Minn. The intersection is just south of the city of Maple Plain.

Witnesses told police the family was traveling south on Co. Ro. 83 and had stopped at the four-way stop before moving into the intersection. Witnesses told officers, however, the 18-year-old driver of a pickup truck on County Road 6 did not stop at the sign and collided with the family's SUV.

What we know:

Police say the driver of the SUV that was hit, a 43-year-old man, and four children were in the vehicle, ages 4, 11, and two 15-year-old boys, were all injured. Their injuries ranged from moderate to serious. The 11-year-old girl in the SUV suffered serious injuries and was rushed to Children's Hospital in Minneapolis, where she later died.

What they're saying:

"This is an extremely devastating incident for the family, our community, and our first responders," reads a post on the West Hennepin Public Safety Facebook page. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family as they endure this unimaginable loss. We ask that the community respect their privacy as they grieve and begin the healing process.

What we don't know:

It's not clear why the driver didn't or was unable to stop at the intersection. The crash remains under investigation. The intersection was closed until about 11 a.m. on Wednesday morning.