UPDATED PRESS RELEASE - TYLER CUMMINGS FATAL ACCIDENT

On August 25, 2012 at approximately 3:00 AM, the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office was notified of an accident involving a pedestrian struck by a car near Balsam Road on Irvine Ave NW. Deputies responded to the scene and located Tyler Blake Cummings, age 21, of Bemidji, MN. Cummings had been struck by a car driven by Samantha Ruth Pender, age 19, also of Bemidji, MN. Pender and other occupants of her vehicle remained at the scene until officers arrived.

Cummings succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. A Minnesota State Trooper responded to the scene to assist Beltrami County Deputies with the reconstruction of the accident. Apparently Cummings was lying in the roadway when struck by the vehicle and the driver did not see him until it was too late to avoid striking Cummings.

Investigators have since learned that Mr. Cummings was in Bemidji at a tavern with some friends. The friends decided to leave and called for a taxi ride and invited Cummings to leave with them. He chose to stay behind and remained at the bar until 12:58 AM, when he left the bar alone. It is believed he walked north to the location where he died.

Pender was returning home from her job after picking up her child at the babysitter’s house when the accident occurred. A witness to the crash - travelling in the opposite direction of the Pender car- confirmed Pender swerved in an attempt to avoid striking Cummings. This was also confirmed by skid marks present at the scene. Pender had not been drinking at the time of the accident and no charges are anticipated.

Preliminary autopsy results on Cummings indicate his blood alcohol level was 0.161%. Additional toxicology tests are being conducted by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Bemidji Police Officers, Bemidji Fire Department and Bemidji Ambulance Service Personnel assisted at the scene. This case was investigated by the Sheriff’s Office, State Patrol and Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Sheriff Phil Hodapp