Man Accused of Causing Crash, Paralyzing Passenger

Apr 3

A man is now charged with multiple felonies after his alleged drunk driving crash left one passenger paralyzed and another with a concussion in Minneapolis last year.

21-year-old Zakaria Mohamed Yussuf, of Saint Cloud, is accused of driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .145 when he crashed a Lincoln sedan around 11:30 p.m. on April 7, 2024, on the 1900 block of 5th Street Southeast in Minneapolis.

The legal driving limit in Minnesota is 0.08.

Investigators say Yussuf veered off the road, struck a street sign and hit a light pole. Officers found him outside the driver’s door, drifting in and out of consciousness with visible head and leg injuries. A bottle of alcohol and a bag of suspected marijuana were found in the car, court documents say. Yussuf was taken to the hospital, where his blood was drawn under a search warrant to check for intoxication.

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According to the criminal complaint, one passenger was found partially outside the front seat, initially unable to feel his legs and later diagnosed with spinal cord damage, hip fractures and broken ribs. He told investigators he may never walk again, the documents say. A second passenger suffered a broken rib and a concussion.

Witnesses told police Yussuf had driven from Saint Cloud that evening and was speeding while exiting the roadway, losing control and crashing. One passenger said Yussuf had been drinking and appeared intoxicated before the crash.

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Yussuf is charged with one count of criminal vehicular operation causing great bodily harm and criminal vehicular operation causing substantial bodily harm, both felonies. He is also charged with misdemeanor DWI. A warrant has been issued for Yussuf’s arrest and a booking photo is not yet available.

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