Felony Conviction For High-Speed Crash Near Rochester Walmart

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A high-speed traffic crash in northwest Rochester last fall has resulted in a felony conviction.

Rochester police you you reported that three vehicles were involved in the collision on the morning of October 25. Very little information was released at the time, but police indicated two people suffered “significant injuries.”

Several weeks later, a criminal complaint was filed in he County Court against 26-year-old Sufi Abdi Sufi of Rochester. He was charged with three counts of felony criminal vehicular operation and a gross misdemeanor charge for allegedly possessing a pistol without a permit.

90-100 MPH

According to the charges, Sufi was under the influence of drugs and alcohol when the crash occurred near the Walmart store at the intersection of 55th Street and Chateau Road Northwest. Witnesses told police that a vehicle was speeding east on 55th Street at between 90 and 100 mph when it crashed into a vehicle that had a green light to enter the intersection and then smashed into a third vehicle stopped at the intersection.

READ MORE:  Armed Motorist Accused of Causing Crash That Closed Rochester Intersection.

Pistol Found in Car

The criminal complaint says a witness ran to the aid of Sufi after he slumped out of his vehicle after opening the driver’s door. The witness told police that Sufi asked him to hide a firearm that he had in his pocket, and after the witness refused, Sufi threw the pistol into the vehicle.

When police arrived at the scene, the court document says an officer found the 9 mm handgun in the backseat area of the car. The officer indicated the firearm, which was uncased and in plain view, had been reported stolen from Dodge Center.

Police also reported finding an unspent bullet on the ground next to Sufi and “a handful of pistol rounds” in the man’s coat pocket. Following his transport to St. Marys Hospital, another 9 mm round was found on the floor in the emergency room next to Sufi’s clothing.

The criminal complaint says the driver of one of the other vehicles suffered numerous broken bones and a lung injury in the crash. The occupants of the third vehicle were also injured, but the extent of their injuries was not detailed in the court document.

Evidence of Alcohol and Drug Impairment

The charges state that testing of a blood sample obtained from Sufi measured his blood alcohol concentration at .13 and also detected evidence of cocaine use.

Sufi today entered a guilty plea to one count of felony criminal vehicular operation. He is scheduled to be sentenced in March.

Long History of Traffic Offenses

Minnesota court records show that Sufi has an extensive list of convictions for traffic offenses, including 2 previous DWI convictions and multiple convictions for driving after revocation.

More Minnesota News:

• Charges: Rochester Woman Hospitalized After Severe Beating
• Rochester Man Gets Jail Time After Large Drug Seizure
• 2025 Brought a Drop in Traffic Deaths on Minnesota Roads