Minnesota Teen Looks Down at Phone and Tragedy Follows

CHAMPLIN, MN - A teenage boy looking at his phone while driving caused a car accident that killed a 70-year-old grandmother "right outside" her home and forced a pregnant woman to get an emergency C-section.

The teen, who was 17 years old at the time of the crash, has been charged with criminal vehicular homicide for allegedly texting while driving and killing Linda Davis in December 2025, Law & Crime reported.

Court documents reviewed by KSTP said the teen was distracted by his phone while driving a BMW, which led him to cause a three-car crash that also left a pregnant woman hospitalized. The mother-to-be was rushed into surgery for an emergency C-section. Thankfully, she and the child both survived, but the mom sustained several injuries from the accident.

A crash report says that Davis, who is described in a GoFundMe as the "heartbeat of her family," was in a Jeep and preparing to turn when the teen slammed into her from behind while peering down at his phone.

"As [Davis] waited to turn, the BMW drove up behind the Jeep at a high rate of speed, did not slow down, and crashed into the Jeep," the report says. The pregnant woman who was injured was driving a Ford SUV and struck Davis' Jeep after it was sent into oncoming traffic by the teen's BMW, police said.

The teen allegedly told investigators after the crash that "his brakes are really slow" and he claimed that's why he couldn't stop in time. Police said that an examination of his phone, however, showed that the teen was using an application on his phone and was actively on it from 3:20 p.m. until the crash happened around 3:28 p.m., with numerous interactions found.

The phone exam, which was allowed through the execution of a search warrant, also showed that the teen allegedly called his mother before calling 911. According to her family, Davis just celebrated her 70th birthday in November.

"Her sudden passing leaves a huge void," the GoFundMe says. "She was a devoted wife, a loving mother, and an adoring grandma who found her joy in her family. She loved everyone deeply and fully. Her faith was the center of her life, and she faithfully served her church community alongside her husband Bill for 38 years."

Although the teen is 18 now, state attorneys said they plan to prosecute the case in juvenile court.