Driver killed after hitting traffic pole in Minneapolis; passenger hurt

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A woman was killed after she crashed into a traffic pole in Minneapolis early Monday, police said. Her passenger was injured. 

The Minneapolis Police Department says officers responded to the intersection of 12th Street South and Third Avenue South at about 2:25 a.m. Police saw a vehicle that had crashed into a traffic pole. 

The driver, a woman, was killed in the crash. Her passenger was injured. The extent of the passenger's injuries were not revealed. 

The police department's preliminary investigation indicates the driver drove through the intersection and hit a traffic pole on the southwest corner of the intersection, a news release said. Speed is believed to be a factor in the crash. 

The identities of those involved haven't been released. 

According to the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety, there have been at least 402 fatalities on Minnesota roads this year. At this time last year, there were 451 deaths on Minnesota roads.