Charges Filed in Minneapolis Carjacking, Chase, Double-Fatal Crash
Screenshot of surveillance video shows the carjacking attempt in Minneapolis on Sept. 4, 2025. Via MPD
The victims: Liberty Borg, left, and Marisa Casebolt
Two women were killed and a 6-year-old boy was gravely injured Thursday when a man fleeing police in a stolen vehicle ran a red light and slammed into their car in north Minneapolis.
Authorities say the chaos began around 8 a.m. on Sept. 4 when several 911 callers reported that 45-year-old Troy Mike Payton was driving recklessly in the area of East Lake Street and Fourth Avenue South.
Payton reportedly crashed his vehicle into a silver car, then got out and pointed a gun at the woman who had exited. Prosecutors say he turned the firearm toward a second motorist, who sped away in fear, and then confronted a third driver in a black Volkswagen.
That driver quickly got out and Payton allegedly stole the vehicle at gunpoint. At some point during the encounters, he fired multiple gunshots, the court documents say.
> Sign up for the MN CRIME newsletter
After taking the Volkswagen, Payton returned to his damaged vehicle to retrieve his dogs, loading them into the stolen car before leaving the area. He then allegedly pointed the gun at another person before continuing eastbound on Lake Street. Minneapolis police responded quickly to the 911 calls and located the stolen Volkswagen driving erratically through downtown and into north Minneapolis. Officers tried to stop him with emergency lights and sirens, but he refused to pull over and drove at a high rate of speed.
PREVIOUSLY: Fleeing Carjacker Causes Double-Fatal Crash
The pursuit continued onto westbound Olson Memorial Highway. At the intersection of Penn Avenue, Payton ran a red light and t-boned a 2010 Ford Fusion on the passenger side. The Ford, driven by 25-year-old Marisa Ardys Casebolt, of Minneapolis, was also carrying 25-year-old passenger Liberty Borg, of Minneapolis, and a 6-year-old boy.
Casebolt and Borg suffered catastrophic injuries and died at the scene. The child sustained broken legs and a traumatic brain injury and was rushed to Hennepin County Medical Center for treatment. His condition remains unclear as of publication.
Submitted photo of the aftermath at Olson Memorial Hwy. & Penn Ave. N. on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025.
Payton was taken to North Memorial with non-life-threatening injuries and remains under observation by law enforcement. Officers recovered a firearm from the stolen Volkswagen. Police also confirmed that three dogs were inside the vehicle; one was later euthanized because of its injuries.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the incident demonstrated the dangers posed by armed carjackings and high-speed flights from police:
“This person clearly endangered hundreds of people’s lives in our community,” O’Hara said in a written statement. “This is why we take carjackings so seriously … they put every member of our community at risk.”
Court records show Payton has an extensive criminal history in Minnesota going back more than two decades. He was convicted of second-degree assault in 1998, illegal possession of a firearm in 2000 and 2005, fleeing police in 2000 and 2006, and motor vehicle theft in 1999. He also has multiple misdemeanor convictions for driving after suspension or revocation.
Highway 55 was closed for several hours between Theodore Wirth Parkway and Morgan Avenue North while investigators reconstructed the crash scene. The Minnesota State Patrol said alcohol was not a factor in the crash. The investigation into the carjackings, gunfire and pursuit remains ongoing.
> See more of our latest coverage
Follow on X or YouTube for more
> Help make MN safer with real-time alerts, LIVE video, 24/7 Safety Agents & much more: Download Citizen now
