ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — An employee of The Park Tavern and a hospital worker were killed Sunday night when a vehicle plowed into the crowded outdoor patio of the popular bar-restaurant in St. Louis Park.
A GoFundMe account started by The Park Tavern says Kristina Folkerts was "a loving mother of 3 young girls and friend to many in the community." The post accompanying the account says those who loved Folkerts are "at a deep loss" and thanked supporters for helping her family during a challenging time.
In a separate GoFundMe, the hospital employee was identified as Gabe Harvey, who was a Health Unit Coordinator (HUC) at the Methodist Hospital.
"There was not a soul that Gabe met that he didn’t leave an impression on," a post on the GoFundMe reads. "He always had a smile and a kind word for everyone."
Tavern Park Owner Phil Weber told KARE 11's Morgan Wolfe that Folkerts was just 30 years old, and followed in her mother's footsteps as a server at Park Tavern. Kristina's relationship with the business ran much deeper than work: Her mother passed away when Folkerts was just 14, and Park Tavern employees stepped up to help her get through it. In addition, a few servers at the restaurant babysat her when Kristina was a little girl.
Now a mother herself, Kristina Folkerts leaves behind three daughters ranging in age from 1 to 7 years old.
Folkerts was one of two victims who did not survive when the vehicle, driven by a 56-year-old man, rammed through the patio area shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday. Four others were injured badly enough to be hospitalized. Security video and witness accounts say the driver tried to locate a parking spot before plowing into the crowd. One witness said the man bumped the rear of his vehicle before accelerating.
Three other GoFundMe pages were set up for victims injured in the incident — Laura Knutsen, Tegan D'Albani and Theo Larson.
The 56-year-old driver is jailed while charges are considered. Park Tavern will remain closed indefinitely in the wake of the tragedy.