On 04/17/2026 at 0529 hours, Maplewood Police were dispatched to Roselawn Ave E / Beaumont St N in Maplewood, Ramsey County. A caller reported seeing a single-vehicle accident. Upon arrival, police found a 2012 Chrysler 200 (MN/SUT294) off the road, crashed into a tree, with heavy frontend damage. Two males were near the vehicle; Carter James CARDONA [DOB REDACTED] and Te’Jon Damarko Dwayne RUSSELL [DOB REDACTED]. CARDONA had a significant amount of blood on his clothing and face and a deep, two-inch, laceration on his forehead.
Police later learned that RUSSELL had a broken arm. Police immediately noted that RUSSELL had a strong odor of consumed alcoholic beverages coming from him. His eyes were glossy and watery and he had difficulty forming coherent sentences. RUSSELL said he had consumed one shot of alcohol. RUSSELL said a female named “JESSIE” was driving and had fled on foot. RUSSELL said “JESSIE” was his close friend and he considered her his sister. RUSSELL, however, could not provide JESSIE’s phone number, last name, or age.
The original caller, CJO, told police that he saw the vehicle driving about 50-60 mph as it went the through a stop sign and hit the tree. He described the two occupants. His description of the driver was consistent with RUSSELL and his description of the passenger was consistent with CARDONA. CJO said there were only two occupants. RUSSELL had the vehicle’s key on a lanyard around his neck. He said he was in the left rear passenger seat and CARDONA was in the front right passenger seat. RUSSELL, however, had blood spatter on the right side of his sweatshirt and right pant leg, consistent with being in the driver’s seat when CARDONA sustained his injury.
RUSSELL also said CARDONA was bleeding before the accident and that the airbags were already deployed before the crash because of a separate accident earlier in the day. Police spoke to LMC (“LILLIANA”) whose father, JLC, is the registered owner of the vehicle. LILLIANA said she and RUSSELL had been drinking together earlier. She said that when she fell asleep, RUSSELL took her vehicle without her permission. The theft was confirmed with JLC. (SPPD CN: 26061834). CARDONA initially said that “LILLY” had been driving the car and ran away after the crash.
Eventually, however, he admitted that he and RUSSELL had been hanging out with LILLY and when LILLY fell asleep, RUSSELL took her keys. He said RUSSELL was driving the vehicle, and speeding, when it crashed. Pursuant to a search warrant, police obtained a sample of RUSSELL’s blood, which has been submitted to the BCA for analysis.
