A 21-year-old Minnesota driver has pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree murder following a street racing incident that claimed the lives of two teenage passengers when their vehicle split in half after striking a pole.
Jordan John Weiland entered his plea in connection with the deaths of 19-year-old Reed Robert Schultz and 18-year-old Finnian Thomas Cronin. The fatal crash occurred on June 14 in Eagan, a community located just outside Minneapolis. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dropped two vehicular homicide charges against Weiland. Sentencing is scheduled for September 1.
The incident unfolded around 11:20 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 149 and Highway 55. According to court documents, three vehicles were engaged in street racing: a Jeep carrying the victims, Weiland’s Honda Accord, and a Dodge Durango. The vehicles were traveling at approximately 110 miles per hour in a zone with a 45 mph speed limit, as confirmed by cellphone footage from inside the cars that captured the speedometer readings.
Surveillance video documented the three vehicles speeding down the highway while weaving through traffic. Both the Jeep and Honda lost control during the race. The Jeep collided with a pole, resulting in catastrophic damage that split the vehicle in half. Weiland’s Honda crashed into a median.
Emergency responders found Schultz and Cronin unresponsive at the scene. Both were transported to the hospital, where Schultz was pronounced dead upon arrival. Cronin succumbed to his injuries several weeks later.
Weiland fled the scene in another vehicle, leaving his extensively damaged Honda unoccupied when police arrived. The driver of the Dodge Durango, 24-year-old Melody Lynn Little, remained at the scene. She faces third-degree murder and vehicular homicide charges, with her trial scheduled for May.
Investigators later located Weiland at a hospital. During questioning, he estimated the vehicles were traveling at 90 mph when a curve appeared unexpectedly, causing both the Jeep and Honda to lose control. Weiland acknowledged that the Jeep sustained severe damage but admitted he did not call emergency services. He told investigators he was not thinking clearly and chose to leave the scene.
Weiland also disclosed that he had consumed two shots of tequila earlier that day, though his blood alcohol content measured .013, below the legal limit of .08. While he denied the group was street racing, he conceded that their behavior could have appeared that way.
Little told investigators that while she denied street racing was occurring, she admitted the Jeep and Dodge were traveling at excessive speeds. She explained that the group had attended a car meetup in south St. Paul earlier that evening and were heading to another gathering in Eagan when the crash occurred.
Schultz, who was born in Guatemala and adopted by Minnesota parents, was remembered as someone who enjoyed making connections with people of all ages through his interests in sports, fishing, snowmobiling, music, and video games. He had played baseball since age five, forming many friendships through the sport.
Cronin was described as having fought courageously during the two weeks following the crash before his death. His family noted his ability to bring people together, including friends, family, neighbors, and community members.
The case highlights the devastating consequences of street racing, which continues to pose significant public safety risks on highways and roads across the country.
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