Golden Valley stabbing linked to deadly crash that killed 11-year-old: Police

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. (FOX 9) - The suspect involved in a Friday morning stabbing is linked to a deadly crash earlier in the week that claimed the life of an 11-year-old girl, police say.

Deadly Independence crash

The backstory:

On Wednesday morning, the West Hennepin Public Safety Department responded to a crash in the rural city of Independence.

Police said a family of six from Maple Plain was headed to school when their SUV was hit by a pick-up truck that had, according to witness accounts, failed to stop at a stop sign.

The family in the SUV, including the 11-year-old girl, all suffered injuries. Police said the 11-year-old was rushed to the hospital where she ultimately died.

On Friday, West Hennepin investigators identified the driver of the pick-up truck as an 18-year-old St. Paul man.

Victim remembered

Local perspective:

A GoFundMe has raised more than $60,000 for the family of the girl, who is identified by friends as 11-year-old Lilyana Loycano.

Along with the online fundraiser, the family's church is also collecting donations to aid the family during the tough times.

The online remembrance reads: "Lilyana was a beacon of sunshine who only wanted to help others. Her smile was infectious and her giving nature and generous spirit was felt by all around her. Lily was the heartbeat of the family. The void left by her tragic passing will never be filled. We find comfort in Lilyana’s legacy living on through organ donations to continue on her giving spirit."

Golden Valley stabbing arrest

What we know:

Two days after the crash, police say the driver of the pick-up that killed 11-year-old Lilyana was involved in a bizarre incident in Golden Valley.

Officers say they responded around 6:15 a.m. on Friday to the report of a man who was stabbed in the area of Theodore Wirth Parkway and Olson Memorial Highway.

At the scene, they found the victim with multiple stab wounds. Later, Minneapolis Parks staff called police about a "half-naked" man who was inside a maintenance building at Theodore Wirth Park and transported him to the Golden Valley Police Department for questioning.

"Based on the information we have now, the two males got into some type of argument and the suspect began to stab the victim," explained Golden Valley Police Chief Virgil Green in a provided statement. "The truck they were in crashed in a wooded area, and the suspect fled into the Hidden Lakes neighborhood. Officers determined the suspect and victim were both under the influence of some type of illegal substance. It’s still early in the investigation, and currently we are not releasing the names of the suspect or victim."

Police later heard from a homeowner near Theo Wirth Park that their home had been broken into and an e-bike was missing. Surveillance video showed the burglar was the same man found at the park building.

The person booked into the Hennepin County Jail by Golden Valley police is also an 18-year-old man with the same name as the Independence pick-up driver.

Police confirmed with FOX 9 that the suspect in the stabbing was involved in the Independence crash that killed Lilyana. He reportedly stayed at the scene, cooperated with law enforcement and did provide some field sobriety tests voluntarily. 

No blood test was given to the suspect. 

The Minnesota State Patrol is assisting with reconstruction of the crash and charges may be filed once the investigation is complete.