State Patrol: Alcohol was a factor in a seven-vehicle crash on I-94 that left at least one person dead

A portion of eastbound I-94 has reopened after a serious seven-vehicle crash left at least one person dead late Wednesday night.

At the time of the closure, the Minnesota Department of Transportation said the accident occurred at Exit 231B to Hennepin Avenue and Lyndale Avenue.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, around 9:15 p.m., a Chevy Avalanche was traveling at a high rate of speed when it struck several vehicles.

The driver of this vehicle, a 32-year-old man from St. Paul, was believed to have alcohol in his system. His passenger, a 20-year-old woman from St. Paul, was taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The driver of a 2015 Jeep Cherokee involved in the accident was not injured. However, according to the State Patrol, a woman who was in that vehicle died. She was identified late Thursday morning as 26-year-old Natalie Gubbay.

According to authorities, four people in a 2023 GMC Yukon, the driver of a 2017 Ford Edge, and the driver of a 2018 Toyota Rav 4 all suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The drivers of a 2017 Audi Q5 and a 2021 Nissan Versa were not injured.

The road was closed for hours and reopened around 1:55 a.m. Thursday.

No further details have been released by authorities at this time.

Stay with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS for more updates on the crash.