Austin woman killed in hit and run, suspect arrested

AUSTIN, Minn. (KTTC) – An Austin woman is dead after being found lying in the road due to a hit and run on Friday.

Around 11:00 p.m. Friday, Austin Police Department (APD) responded to a report of a person lying in the roadway on Oakland Place SE near Oakland Avenue SE.

According to APD, officers arrived on scene and rendered CPR to a female, Melissa Rack, 41 of Austin, who was not breathing and did not have a pulse.

APD said debris and other evidence indicated that a vehicle had struck Rack. Mayo Ambulance took over lifesaving efforts, but they were unsuccessful, and she was declared deceased.

According to police, the vehicle and driver, who had struck Rack, were not on scene.

Using debris and a witness statement, officers reportedly canvassed the area and located the suspect’s vehicle, with damage consistent with the crash scene, in a driveway in the 1700 block of 1st Avenue SE.

Officers made contact with Darin Finley, 35, of Austin, at that residence.

As a result of the investigation into this fatality, Finley was arrested on probable cause for violating Minnesota’s criminal vehicular homicide statute. He is in custody at the Mower County Jail. Formal charges are pending a review of the case by the Mower County Attorney’s Office.