Tuesday at 1:12 a.m., officers were sent to a report of a stolen vehicle in progress in the 2300 Block of Minnesota Blvd SE.  Upon arrival, officers met with the 46-year-old male victim from St. Cloud who was walking near Minnesota Blvd and 20th Ave. SE.   

 

The investigation revealed that the victim is a Lyft driver and was working at the time of the incident.  

 

The victim indicated he responded to a ride request in the 600 Block of Lincoln Ave. SE at which time he had picked up two adult males.  The victim then drove the males around for a short time as they did not appear to know where they were going.  They eventually ended up in the 2300 block of Minnesota Blvd SE at which time one of the males in the back seat reached up over the seat and grabbed the steering wheel causing the vehicle to nearly veer off the road.  The victim pulled over and stopped the car at which point the male again reached over the seat and grabbed him by the shirt and seatbelt, pulling him backwards while threatening to kill him.  

 

The victim got out of the car and called the police at which time one of the males also got out and briefly came after him.  The male then got back in the driver’s seat of the victim’s car, and with the other male still inside, drove off at a high rate of speed Westbound on Minnesota Blvd towards 15th Ave. SE.  The victim did not require any medical attention. 

 

Minutes later, a Sherburne County deputy, who was parked on the side of Co. Rd. 8 (River Road) observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed heading southeast on Co. Rd. 8, south of 57th St. SE. 

 

The deputy clocked the vehicle traveling 112 mph as it drove past him. The deputy was unaware of the reported stolen vehicle from the above incident in St. Cloud. 

 

As the deputy tried to catch up to the speeding vehicle, he approached a curve in the road near the intersection of 77th Street. The deputy saw and smelled smoke and saw vehicle wreckage near the intersection of Co. Rd. 8 and 38th Avenue. The vehicle had crashed into trees on the south side of Co. Rd. 8.

 

Investigators learned that the vehicle that had crashed was the vehicle reported stolen from the Lyft driver. 

 

One vehicle occupant, an adult male, had been ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. The second vehicle occupant, also an adult male, was taken to St. Cloud Hospital where he later was pronounced dead. 

 

Based on the circumstances and the investigation at this point, it appears that the two deceased individuals are the males who had the altercation with the Lyft driver in St. Cloud.  

 

No additional information will be released about this case at this time as the investigation is ongoing. Identities of the deceased will be released once next of kin is notified. 

 

UPDATE: The individuals who died in the one-vehicle crash early Tuesday morning are David A. Isaacs, 42, of St. Cloud, and James M. Parkos, 46, of Sauk Rapids. Based on the information available to investigators at this point, it’s believed that Isaacs was the driver of the vehicle at the time of the crash. Parkos was pronounced dead at the scene. Isaacs was taken to St. Cloud Hospital where he died.