DULUTH, MN – Under the cold gray light of a Friday morning in Duluth’s Central Hillside neighborhood, an ordinary street scene was shattered when a woman was struck by a car in broad daylight. What followed next has left a community alarmed and searching for answers.
Police allege that 31-year-old Metris Javon Bell was behind the wheel of the vehicle that plowed into the woman just before 11 a.m. Witnesses nearby watched in disbelief as the driver failed to call for help. Instead, according to authorities, he lifted the injured victim from the pavement and placed her into his car.
Bystanders reportedly questioned Bell’s intentions. He responded that he was taking the woman to the emergency room, assuring onlookers that he intended to get her medical attention. But, according to statements from officials, those assurances quickly unraveled.
Surveillance footage obtained from the area paints a different picture. Cameras captured Bell’s vehicle moving through side streets and alleys near the Damiano Center, a well-frequented hub for social services. The video reveals the car lingering before finally stopping in an alley just off the 100 block of East 3rd Street.
At some point out of view of the cameras, police believe Bell left the woman in the alley and drove away. Minutes later, a passerby discovered her and dialed emergency services. The woman, disoriented and battered, later told officers she remembered the impact with the car but could not recall how she had been transported to the alley or who had left her there.
Paramedics in Duluth rushed the victim to a nearby hospital, where she was treated for her injuries. Despite her ordeal, authorities report she is expected to recover, though the full extent of her physical and emotional wounds remains uncertain.
Investigators quickly pieced together the sequence of events using surveillance video and witness accounts. Their efforts led to Bell’s arrest, and he was booked into jail on felony counts, including kidnapping, as police say the woman was not left in a safe place, along with criminal vehicular operation causing substantial bodily harm and fleeing the scene of a collision.
According to public records, Bell was denied bond and remains in custody as of Thursday. His arraignment is scheduled for December 9. Court documents show Bell has a history of prior arrests, including cases related to drug offenses.
The case has reignited conversations about pedestrian safety and the responsibility of drivers in emergency situations. Meanwhile, authorities continue to urge anyone with additional information on the incident to come forward as the investigation continues.