Minnesota woman charged with drunk driving and killing pregnant woman

Coon Rapids, MN (KROC-AM News) – A 20-year-old Minnesota woman has been charged with multiple felony counts after she was accused of driving while intoxicated Sunday night and causing a crash that killed a pregnant woman.

According to a criminal complaint filed today in Anoka County District Court, a preliminary breathalyzer test Makayla April Sue Richardson's blood alcohol concentration at 0.18 after the pickup truck she was driving collided with an SUV at an intersection in Coon Rapids. A passenger in the SUV, 26-year-old Melinda Thao from Coon Rapids later died along with her unborn child in a Twin Cities hospital.

The indictment against Richardson alleges that the Mounds View woman, who was pulling a trailer in her pickup truck, ran a red light and crashed into the SUV, which was turning left on a green light. The 27-year-old driver of the SUV suffered broken ribs in the crash.

The criminal complaint states that Richardson admitted to drinking alcohol before driving, but told officers at the scene that she only had one drink. She also admitted to speeding and not having a valid driver's license.

Richardson is charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of reckless driving, including one involving the death of an unborn child, as well as one count of drunken driving.

Following her arraignment today, Richardson's bail was set at $100,000.

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