Maplewood Hit-and-Run Leads to Murder Charges Against St. Paul Woman
- A woman from St. Paul is charged with murder and assault in a hit-and-run incident in Maplewood.
- The hit-and-run resulted in the death of one woman and injury of another.
- The accused is facing serious legal consequences for her actions.
MAPLEWOOD, Minn. — Ashley Couch, a St. Paul resident, has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree assault following a hit-and-run incident that resulted in the death of 23-year-old Zakirrah Anderson and left another woman injured. The charges were filed on Friday after a violent confrontation between two groups at the intersection of Larpenteur Avenue East and Dieter Street North escalated on Wednesday night. According to court documents, the two groups had arranged to meet for a fight after an earlier altercation. The victims were standing outside their vehicle when Couch, driving a Dodge Charger, struck them before fleeing the scene. Witnesses reported that the surviving victim was thrown into the air, while Anderson suffered severe injuries consistent with being dragged under the vehicle for an extended distance. She succumbed to her injuries shortly after arriving at Regions Hospital. Couch was apprehended the following day after a tip from a concerned citizen led police to her. The caller indicated that Couch had attempted to conceal the damaged vehicle, which was later found in an alley with the rear license plate removed and trash cans placed in front of it. Despite being shown video evidence of the incident, Couch denied any intention to harm the victims. Couch, who has a history of violent crimes and threats, remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday morning.