The juvenile female killed in a crash in Itasca County Sunday, April 20, has been identified by the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office as Angelica Bryan, 13, of Cass Lake.

According to the preliminary investigation by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), an Itasca County Sheriff’s Office deputy attempted to stop a 2003 Honda Odyssey for driving with no headlights at approximately 1:30 a.m. on April 20. The vehicle was traveling west on County Road 63 near the intersection of County Road 271 when the deputy activated their emergency lights in an attempt to pull the vehicle over.

The driver of the Honda Odyssey failed to stop and accelerated away from the deputy, who initiated a pursuit. During the pursuit, the vehicle reached speeds estimated to be over 90 mph. The Minnesota State Patrol deployed a stop stick tire deflation device during the pursuit but it failed to make contact with the vehicle’s tires. The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Bryan, continued to drive with no headlights on Highway 6 and drove off the roadway just east of County Road 11, where the van collided with a tree and came to a stop. Bryan was the sole occupant of the vehicle and was pronounced dead on scene as a result of the injuries she suffered in the crash.

The BCA’s preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle driven by Bryan was a stolen vehicle that was taken that night from a residence in the town of Cohasset.

The BCA agreed to investigate the pursuit and crash at the request of the Itasca County Sheriff’s Office to avoid a conflict of interest. No physical contact was made with the vehicle by any law enforcement officer’s squad involved in this pursuit.

This pursuit and subsequent crash remain under investigation. No further details are available.