Minneapolis woman charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced charges against Teniki Steward, 38, in connection with a vehicle crash that killed two people, Esther Jean Fulks and Rose Elaine Reece, and injured two others Monday. Ms. Steward faces two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and two counts of criminal vehicular operation.

She was charged via warrant after the case was received and reviewed and has since been taken into custody.

“Our office has been in close communication with the Minneapolis Police Department regarding this case, which was submitted to our office on Thursday and charged Friday,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. “This was another completely avoidable incident of a car being driven irresponsibly with disastrous consequences. Our thoughts are with the surviving victims and with the families of the two members of our community who were killed.”

According to the complaint:

On Dec. 16, 2024, Minneapolis Police responded to a motor vehicle accident located at the intersection of Emerson Avenue North and 26th Avenue North.

Using surveillance videos from the scene and interviews with witnesses, investigators noted that a Buick Enclave driven by Ms. Steward appeared to be traveling at a high rate of speed and ran through a red light, nearly causing an accident at Emerson Avenue North and Broadway Avenue North.

Ms. Steward continued to travel northbound on Emerson Avenue North at a high rate of speed. As she approached 26th Avenue North, the traffic light for northbound traffic was red. Ms. Steward entered the intersection at a high rate of speed and struck a Ford Explorer traveling eastbound, which was lawfully entering the intersection on a green light.

Both individuals in the Explorer were killed, while a third victim on a sidewalk was struck by the Explorer as a result of the collision. Additionally, the passenger in the Enclave suffered injuries in the incident.

Case Number: 27-CR-24-29052

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