Driver of stolen BMW crashes in Hopkins house, flees scene: Charges

HOPKINS, Minn. (FOX 9) - A 21-year-old man is facing charges for crashing a stolen vehicle into a Hopkins home after "going too fast," according to court records.

Elijah Dawaun Anderson, 21, was charged in Hennepin County court on Thursday with reckless driving, hit-and-run, and falsely reporting a crime in relation to the collision. 

On May 27, Hopkins police responded to a report of a driver who had crashed into a home on the 400 block of North Van Buren Place. The homeowner told police she was in the living room watching a movie with a friend when she heard the sounds of a crash followed by the power going out. 

She went outside and spoke with Anderson who allegedly told her he was "going too fast" and then drove away. Officers followed a trail of oil from the crash scene to an address on Lake Street where they found the damaged car parked with multiple flat tires. 

Anderson initially denied being involved in the crash and suggested someone else must have taken the car, which was reported stolen from an auto dealership where he worked as a detailer. He claimed the last time he saw the BMW was in the afternoon, and the following day he noticed it was missing. 

However, when a detective later showed him an image from surveillance video allegedly placing him in the area, he admitted to crashing into the home but claimed he didn’t know he was supposed to stay at the crash site, charges said. 

Anderson was charged via summons and is scheduled to make his first court appearance in September.