OWATONNA, MN. (THECOUNT) — Rochester woman, Sauda Abubakar Maani and Louis D Bennett, of Owatonna, have been identified as the victims in a double-fatal crash following a police chase near Owatonna on Thursday.
Maani, 24, and Bennet, 42, were killed in a crash following a police-involved pursuit that began around 11:40 a.m. Thursday in Owatonna.
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Police say, a Good Samaritan placed a 911 call saying a man was striking a woman inside an Owatonna vehicle.
The vehicle’s two occupants left the area before police arrived; it was unknown if the woman was still in the car with the suspect, reports KAALTV.
A short time later, an Owatonna Police officer saw the vehicle driving west on 26th Street NW near Interstate 35. When he tried to stop the car, the driver turned south onto I-35 and reportedly sped away.
The vehicle left the interstate at West Bridge Street and collided with a post at the top of the off-ramp.
The two occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. The Minnesota State Patrol identified the driver as 42-year-old Louis Bennett; his passenger was 24-year-old Sauda Maani, of Rochester. Both had their seat belts fastened.
The crash remains under investigation.
According to Facebook, Maani was from Houston, Texas. Some on social media say she was from Somalia.
Maani posted to Facebook hours before the fatal crash:
Geo quick facts: Owatonna is a city in Steele County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 25,599 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Steele County. Owatonna is home to the Steele County Fairgrounds, which hosts the Steele County Free Fair in August – Wikipedia.