Maplewood Man Charged In Deadly Hit-And-Run

ST. PAUL, MN — A Maplewood man was charged in connection with a hit-and-run crash that resulted in the death of a man in St. Paul Friday.

The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office charged Robert W. Kinney, 56, Thursday with one count of criminal vehicular homicide.

Kinney will make his first appearance virtually in Ramsey County District Court Friday. If convicted, Kinney faces up to 10 years in prison. Kinney has a prior gross misdemeanor DWI conviction in Washington County, police said.

"We are grateful for the individual who came forward to provide critical information to law enforcement," Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said. "We thank the police investigator for his diligent work on this case."

Police responded to a report of a "man down" just after 8:30 p.m. Friday at McKnight Road North and Margaret Street. Officers found a man lying face down against a snowbank; he was declared dead. They also found debris including a car's lights, reflector and passenger side mirror in the road, investigators said.

Police later received an anonymous tip that the person involved in the hit-and-run was a regular named Bob who frequented the 5-8 Tavern & Grill, according to the criminal complaint. The tavern is located about a block from the crash site in Maplewood.

The tipster told police that Bob drove a car matching what police were looking for, the complaint said. The tipster added that Bob was drinking in the bar on the night of the hit-and-run and saw police lights and heard police sirens a short time after Bob left the bar, according to police.

Police said they matched Kinney's damaged vehicle with the broken parts that were found at the crash site.