Driver suspected in deadly Minnesota crash convicted in Montecito accident five years ago

MONTECITO, Calif.-Investigators have identified a man convicted in a local crash as the suspect in a Minnesota crash that killed five young women including three sisters on Friday night.

Derrick John Thompson is suspected of running a red light during a pursuit and crash caught on street cameras.

The car being pursued broadsided a car carrying five women ages 17-20.

They had visited a nearby mall before a friends wedding.

Almost five years ago on September 4, 2018, Thompson fled a crash that left a tourist in a temporary coma.

She had been walking with friends on Butterly Lane in Montecito when a car being pursued ran into her.

Officers from Ventura had been transporting an inmate when they noticed the car on the shoulder and followed them.

Two young men riding in a Chevy Impala were caught, but Thompson got away.

He was later extradited from Minnesota where a task force caught him.

Thompson was convicted in the local accident and it appears he served about half of an eight year term.

The 27-year-old was hospitalized due to injuries from Friday's crash.

"I was there that day we had innocent woman hospitalized, two people in custody, about 17 pounds of marijuana and 20 thousand in cash and a man hunt going on at that time," said California Highway Patrol Officer Jonathan Gutierrez. "I think things happen all the time unfortunately this is a tragic situation five people lost their lives it is extremely unfortunate"

Thompson happens to be the son of a former Minnesota State representative and Black Lives Matter activist who took office in 2021 but failed to win re-election.

Your News Channel will have more on the links between these crashes tonight on the news.

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