Answers sought for Minneapolis man who was hit by car and ‘left to die’, then had his backpack stolen

MINNEAPOLIS — Many intersections don’t mean much to most people — except for Victoria Nichols and Andy Meissner. The intersection of Third Avenue South and South Seventh Street now has a negative connotation after their nephew and brother were struck and left behind by a car in the early morning hours of July 14.

“My brother Carl rode home on his motorcycle,” said Meissner.

Carl Vargas was riding his motorcycle down Third Avenue South and crossed Seventh Avenue on a green light. Surveillance video obtained by the family and shown to KARE 11 shows a black Camaro speeding through the intersection, hitting Carl and coming to a stop halfway down the next block.

“It was probably anger at first,” Meissner said. “Obviously about the whole situation and the fact that these guys did what they did.”

“They fled the scene and left him dying,” Meissner added.

MPD says it is an active and open investigation, but Nichols and Meissner say they feel left in the dark.

“We are waiting for feedback on what is being done, but it still seems to us that not enough is being done,” he said.

For this reason, they spent days asking around the surrounding buildings for the surveillance video.

“We have multiple camera angles,” Nichols said.

“The only car that’s chasing the Camaro,” she said, showing KARE 11 the video. “Then the two suspects get in and then continue driving down Seventh Street.”

To make matters worse, surveillance video shows a random person approaching Carl and taking the bag from him while he lies on the ground in pain.

“It was impossible for the rescue team to even identify Carl,” Meissner said. “We pretty much only found that out on Monday.”

Carl is still in the hospital resting and recovering. They won’t stop until the perpetrators are found, Nichols and Meissner say.

“We’re trying to get justice for Carl,” Nichols said. “That’s our main goal, that’s our ultimate goal.”

The family is asking for any help or information. Click here to donate.