Vehicle pursuit ends in intentional crash

At 1:13 am Saturday, a Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office Deputy and a Blackduck Police Officer were on patrol in the City of Blackduck when they observed a vehicle stopped at an intersection. The vehicle remained stationary, despite no opposing traffic.

The deputy then observed the vehicle proceed and signal a turn but fail to execute the turn. Additional driving behavior was observed, and a traffic stop was attempted.

The vehicle accelerated at a high rate of speed and proceeded south on US Highway 71. The pursuit reached speeds of 100 mph as the suspect approached Hines. The vehicle turned east on Hines Road.

The deputy was attempting to perform a pursuit intervention technique when the vehicle entered the ditch and proceeded back to Highway 71. A Minnesota State Trooper and another Beltrami County Deputy successfully deployed tire deflation devices.

According to the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, Bemidji Police Officers were at Farley Drive and Highway 71 when the suspect intentionally attempted to hit one of the squad cars with the vehicle. The officer was able to maneuver his squad car to avoid a head-on collision but was struck by the vehicle on the driver’s rear side of the squad.

The suspect’s vehicle became disabled at the tree line. Deputies and officers attempted to apprehend the suspect. According to the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect resisted arrest and was sprayed to gain compliance. The suspect, 52, has been arrested pending charges for fleeing in a motor vehicle, first degree assault use of deadly force on a peace officer, second degree driving while impaired, and obstruction with force.

The suspect was transported to the Bemidji Sanford Medical Center, medically cleared, and taken into custody. No other injuries were reported.

The Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Blackduck Police Department, Bemidji Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol and Bemidji Ambulance Service.