Authorities arrested a 21-year-old man Tuesday morning in Wright County in connection with the car crash that killed St. Thomas junior Ria Patel.

The suspect is being held in the Hennepin County Jail, according to Minneapolis Police, on probable cause of criminal vehicular homicide.

It is TommieMedia policy not to name suspects before they have been charged.

Officers responded to the scene of a one-vehicle crash around 3:50 a.m. Sunday at the intersection of Stinson Boulevard Northeast and Ridgeway Parkway in northeast Minneapolis, according to a police statement. The vehicle had hit a stoplight.

Police found Patel trapped in the vehicle and provided medical aid until paramedics arrived, who then pronounced her dead at the scene.

“Officers learned from a witness that the male driver of the car had fled on foot before police could arrive,” the statement read. “A search of the area was conducted using K9’s but the male suspect was not located.”

“It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the passing of Ria Patel, one of our international students,” the St. Thomas Office of International Students and Scholars posted on Facebook Monday. “She will be so missed by many on campus and in the community.”

Lauren Andrego can be reached at lauren.andrego@stthomas.edu.