Priest struck and killed while riding bike in Rosemount

ROSEMOUNT, Minn. – A Twin Cities area priest has been struck and killed while riding his bike in Rosemount. Risen Savior Church in Burnsville announced Tuesday that the Rev. Dennis Dempsey was the bicyclist who died Monday afternoon after he was hit by a car on County Road 42.

The 26-year-old Minneapolis driver who struck Dempsey was arrested at the scene on suspicion of criminal vehicular homicide in connection with driving in a negligent manner. Authorities say the man was driving with a revoked license. The 73-year-old priest came to Risen Savior in July after doing missionary work in Venezuela for two years.

Hubbard Broadcasting sister station KSTP 5 Eyewitness News talked to Mr. Dave Hutton, the church’s trustee who described the kind of man Rev. Dempsey was. "He treated every single person he met, regardless of where they were from or what their background was, as a child of God", said Hutton. Mr. David said that Dempsey was known to take long bike rides and was simply outside getting exercise on Monday when he was hit and killed.