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Dakota County 911 dispatcher ID'd as driver in crash that killed 17-year-old

A Jeep pushed another vehicle into an intersection on Saturday, killing a 17-year-old and injuring two others.

VERMILLION, Minn — A 17-year-old was killed and two other people were injured after a crash between multiple vehicles in Dakota County Saturday. 

According to information from the Minnesota State Patrol, the accident happened just before 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the area of 160th Street East and Freeborn Avenue in Vermillion Township.  

Officials said a Toyota Corolla was headed east on 160th Street and was slowing down to make a left turn onto Freeborn Avenue when a Jeep driven by a 49-year-old woman from Hastings struck the rear of the vehicle.

The Jeep pushed the Toyota into the westbound lane where it was struck head-on by a Chrysler Town and County. The van hit the passenger side of the Toyota and officials said the driver, 17-year-old Rodrigo Leon Dooley, was ejected.

The Minnesota State Patrol is the sole agency investigating the cause of the crash to avoid potential conflicts of interest since the woman driving the Jeep is a dispatcher with Dakota 911.  

State Troopers said that Dooley did not survive the crash. 

The Farmington Area Public Schools, where Dooley went to school, released a statement following news of his death.  "We were deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Rodrigo Dooley, a 12th-grade learner at Farmington High School. He had been a part of our learning community since kindergarten and attended Riverview Elementary School, Robert Boeckman Middle School, and Farmington High School. This loss will be felt throughout our district as Rodrigo had many connections across the three buildings he attended."

The driver of the Jeep and a woman riding in the Toyota were also injured, but troopers said the injuries were non-life-threatening. 

160th Street between Fisher Avenue and Goodwin Avenue was closed on Saturday but has since reopened. 

This is a developing story. More information will be added as it becomes available.

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