Grand Forks Driver Strikes Woman Walking Dog, Tossing Her 25 Feet

Claire Rash was thrown 25 feet by a car on Sept. 23 while walking her dog near the Silver Waters apartment complex in Grand Forks, suffering a compound fracture to her right leg. The incident was part of a series of collisions involving a 26-year-old man who police say used his vehicle to chase down unconnected pedestrians. Rash, 36, was on a routine evening stroll with her dog Sonny at 5:30 p.m. when the driver struck her. She recalled hearing the engine accelerate and seeing the man look directly at her before the impact. "I think I am going to die right now," she said. The force of the hit sent her tumbling in front of the vehicle. Rash believes she avoided being run over a second time because the driver crashed into the apartment building immediately after hitting her.

The driver, Ian Schneeweis, had previously struck a 72-year-old man he did not know. After the second collision, Schneeweis reversed, chased another woman, and crashed into a tree before being arrested. Court documents detail his explanation for the behavior. He told investigators he was using methamphetamine at the time. He also stated that voices on a radio told him to go after people with his car. Police described the victims as having no prior connection to the driver. The sequence of events turned a quiet residential area into a scene of multiple crashes and injuries within a short timeframe.

Rash, a grocery store manager, spent one week in a hospital and another week in a rehabilitation facility following the accident. She has undergone three surgeries to repair the damage. Doctors expect her to use a wheelchair for at least two more months. Full recovery is estimated to take one year. "All the tissue that is connected to a bone, like muscle, tendons, fat, was completely removed from the bone," Rash said. Her dog Sonny was not injured in the crash. Rash noted that she likely let go of the leash to ensure he was safe during the impact. A neighbor found the dog and returned him to her unlocked apartment, though she does not know who did so.

Support from the community has aided Rash during her recovery. A GoFundMe campaign has raised financial donations for her expenses. She described the outpouring of help as a reminder that people are generally good. "I am never truly alone," she said. Her mental state has improved since the incident, though her life has been permanently altered by the encounter with a stranger.