Early on the morning of November 12, 2025, under the glimmer of faint streetlights at 2:56 a.m., a routine commute turned tragic on the eastbound Interstate 94 ramp to Dale Street in St. Paul, Minnesota. A 22-year-old Fridley man, Musab Ibrahim Kosar, was driving a 2024 Tesla Model 3 at what the Minnesota State Patrol described as a “high rate of speed” when he exited the freeway, struck a crossing vehicle, and changed the lives of three individuals forever.
The other vehicle, a 2005 Toyota RAV4 operated by 31-year-old Benjamin Michael Villano of St. Paul, was crossing the intersection at the end of the ramp when Kosar’s Tesla collided into it. Villano, described by his friends and family as warm-hearted and always ready to help others, suffered critical injuries and was transported to Regions Hospital. He was later pronounced dead.
Kosar and his 19-year-old passenger, Suban Geer of St. Paul, were also taken to Regions Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the State Patrol reported. Both occupants of the Tesla and the driver of the RAV4 were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, and road conditions were dry. But whether alcohol or drugs played a role remains under investigation.
Witnesses say the impact was loud and jarring. “It was just this huge boom, and then flashing lights everywhere,” one nearby resident recalled. The sudden roar that shattered the calm of that early hour soon led to a swarm of responding units from St. Paul Fire, local police and Ramsey County deputies. Investigators cordoned off the ramp and spent hours documenting skid marks, debris and the precise trajectory of both vehicles.
The State Patrol has emphasized that speeding remains one of the leading causes of fatal crashes in Minnesota, particularly on exit ramps and intersections where reaction time is minimal. “This heartbreaking incident serves as a reminder of how quickly reckless decisions can end lives,” a spokesperson said.
For friends and family of Benjamin Villano, the loss is unfathomable. They remember him not only as a devoted father and friend—but as someone with a generous spirit, infectious laugh and those who felt lucky just to know him. In a community where his presence was a quiet fixture, his absence now echoes loudly. The shock of losing him in such a sudden, preventable way has rippled through neighborhoods and workplaces alike.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing. Authorities have labeled it ICR 25409761, urge any witnesses to contact Minnesota State Patrol, and reminded drivers that even a few seconds saved by speeding are never worth a lifetime of loss.
