DES MOINES, Iowa —

Des Moines police say they are investigating a crash involving an abandoned vehicle that they believe is connected to a woman's death.

DMPD patrol officers recovered an abandoned vehicle at around 11:30 a.m. Thursday in the 1200 block of School Street. Investigators now believe Margarita Santiago-Popovski, 38, was driving that vehicle when it crashed the night before.

Santiago-Popovski was picked up from the scene late Wednesday night and driven to her home in West Des Moines, police say. She was taken by West Des Moines EMS to a nearby hospital in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Santiago-Popovski died Thursday from her injuries.

This is the sixth deadly crash of 2025 in Des Moines, according to officers. The crash remains under investigation.

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