Man charged in connection to Saturday’s fatal hit-and-run crash in Eagan

An Eagan resident has been charged in connection to a fatal hit-and-run crash in that city early Saturday morning that took the life of 40-year-old Leslie Anne Youngberg of Bloomington.

Rolando Miranda Martinez, 58, has been charged with one count of leaving the scene of a collision resulting in death, announced Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena on Tuesday.

The Eagan Police Department posted on social media early Saturday morning about the fatal hit-and-run that occurred just before 2 a.m. near the intersection of Nicols Road and Cliff Road. Police said they were seeking information on a 2021-2022 white Honda HR-V or Civic they believed could be involved.

Police updated later that morning that a male found living at a residence nearby had been taken into custody after police located the damaged vehicle they believed was involved in the driveway of the residence.

According to details in the charging document filed in Dakota County District Court and a statement by the county attorney, officers from the Eagan Police Department responded to a report of a hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian. When they arrived at the scene, officers found Youngberg lying face down on the pavement. She was unresponsive and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

The 911 caller told officers that he and Youngberg were walking northbound on Nicols Road and crossed Cliff Road when Youngberg was hit by a vehicle traveling eastbound on Cliff Road. The driver did not stop and continued driving east.

Officers used the car parts left at the scene and camera footage to help identify the vehicle, which they found in Miranda Martinez’s driveway. While officers waited for backup, they observed Miranda Martinez leave the residence, grab a backpack from the damaged vehicle and get into an Uber. Officers conducted a traffic stop and arrested Miranda Martinez.

After Miranda Martinez was advised of his Miranda rights, he admitted to driving at the time of the crash when he hit “something.” He said a “thing” jumped out at him, breaking the windshield. He also admitted to leaving the scene. Miranda Martinez said he was on his way home from a bar in Minneapolis but denied drinking.

Officers obtained search warrants for both Miranda Martinez’s phone as well as a blood sample. Results for both were still pending at the time charges were filed.

A check of Minnesota court records shows Miranda Martinez has a criminal history in the state stretching back to at least 2012, which includes at least three DWI convictions, as well as two speeding citations.

Miranda Martinez is still on probation from his most recent and third DWI conviction in May 2023, in which the Minnesota State Patrol arrived on a crash in Richfield to find Miranda Martinez’s vehicle rolled over on its roof. Miranda Martinez subsequently tested at .128 BAC. He eventually pleaded guilty to gross misdemeanor third-degree DWI and was sentenced in Hennepin County District Court to 30 days on home monitoring, in lieu of a 364-day jail sentence, which was stayed. An additional charge of second-degree DWI was dismissed at sentencing, and Miranda Martinez was placed on probation for three years, through May 2026.

Alpha News reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to inquire about Miranda Martinez’s immigration status but did not receive a response.

A GoFundMe has been launched to cover the funeral expenses and memorial service for Youngberg, who leaves behind a 16-year-old son.

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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.

Crime Watch MN

Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.