Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Minneapolis

No Charges for Driver Who Plowed Into Protesters in Minneapolis

UPDATED 11/28/14 at 8:48 a.m.: The Pioneer Press is reporting that late Wednesday police changed the status of the driver from "victim" to "suspect." 

The driver who rammed his way through a crowd protesting the non-indictment of Darren Wilson yesterday afternoon in Minneapolis, injuring a 16-year-old girl, has not been charged with any crime.

That's according to Minneapolis Police spokesperson John Elder, who emailed us this morning saying the case "remains under investigation."

You can see in the above video, captured by a local news crew, that the driver, Jeffrey Patrick Rice of St. Paul, drove directly into a crowd of protesters and ran over the legs of the girl, who reportedly suffered a leg injury. According to news reports, Rice, 40, stopped not far from the scene and called 911.

Here's the only information the MPD would offer, from a police report (emphasis ours): "The victim's vehicle was damaged by a large group of people. While he was attempting to flee from the mob, he struck a pedestrian."

So there you have it. The "victim" in this case was not the 16-year-old girl whose legs were crushed under a car, but the driver of said car. Looking at the video, it seems like the police have scrambled the order of events to exonerate the assailant. A "mob" doesn't form around the vehicle until after the driver intentionally plowed through people. 

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune describes events unfolding very differently than the police report:

In the Lake Street incident, a Subaru station wagon lurched into the crowd around 4:30 p.m. with its horn blaring as the rally swelled to more than 1,000 demonstrators. When protesters didn’t clear a path, the driver knocked down a girl. The crowd erupted in screams and some people jumped on the hood of the car and violently pounded on the windshield and windows.

For all those sociopaths who were wondering last night if they were allowed to run over protesters standing in front of their cars, it appears the answer is "yes."

Update: Here's another angle where you can see the driver choosing to go straight through the crowd.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Tuesday’s Sprawling Headlines

Sprawl seems to be having a moment, but it remains a very shortsighted and environmentally disastrous way to solve the housing crisis.

July 1, 2025

Does Constant Driving Really Make Our Country Richer?

A new study reveals that constant driving is making America less productive and prosperous — and getting people on other modes could help right the ship.

July 1, 2025

‘We’re Not Copenhagen’ Is No Excuse Not to Build a Great Biking And Walking City

A team of researchers identified eight under-the-radar cities leading the local active transportation revolution — and a menu of strategies that other communities can and should steal.

June 30, 2025

Monday’s Headlines, Ranked

New reports rank the best cities for biking and the best complete streets policies. Plus, the robotaxi wars have begun.

June 30, 2025

Washington State Is About To Have the First Pro-‘Woonerf’ Law in America

Washington state is making it legal for cities to have people-centered streets in a first-in-the-nation law.

June 30, 2025

Friday’s Headlines Are Doomed

Philadelphia transit is falling off the fiscal cliff, with other major cities not far behind. And the effects of service cuts on their economies could be brutal.

June 27, 2025
See all posts