Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Elk River Man Arrested in High-Speed Police Chase through St. Michael Early Thursday

Going as fast as 100 mph, the suspect and two passengers made it from Elk River to St. Anthony in less than half an hour before police stopped them.

 


UPDATE, 5:06 p.m. — An Elk River man was arrested in a high-speed police pursuit that tore through St. Michael shortly before 2 a.m. Thursday.

John Smith, 37, of Elk River drove his vehicle up to 100 miles per hour as he fled police through several cities in the northwest metro, from Elk River to St. Anthony.

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He was initially being stopped by Elk River Police for speeding and failing to stop at a stop sign.

Smith was arrested on the charges of speeding, failing to stop at a stop sign, driving after revokation, and on two warrants out for his arrest: one a misdemeanor warrant from Todd County, and a felony warrant from Aitkin County.

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"At the time (of the chase), we didn't know he had warrants out for his arrest," said Captain Bob Kluntz of the Elk River Police Department. "The vehicle was just traveling at a higher rate of speed and went thorugh a stop sign without stopping."

The chase started in Elk River at 1:26 a.m. and ended in St. Anthony, near Northeast Minneapolis at 1:50 a.m. Thursday. It ended on Silver Lake Road, south of 31st Ave., after officers conducted a Pursuit Intervention Tactic (PIT) manuever, which took out the back of the vehicle and caused it to go off the road.

No injuries were reported.

The chase went through St. Michael, Rogers, Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Fridley and New Brighton.

"It started in Elk River, eventually went to Highway 101, then onto County Road 36 toward St. Michael," Kluntz said. "They hit the freeway (Interstate 94) from there and went east into Maple Grove. Then east on (Interstate) 694 and got off on University Ave. (in Fridley). Then they got back on the freeway and exited at Silver Lake Road."

A Minnesota State Patrol helicopter monitored the chase from above. Police departments that likely provided officer assistance to Elk River Police Department were Maple Grove Police, Roseville Police and St. Anthony Police.

Departments that offered dispatch assistance were Sherburne County Sheriff's Office, Wright County Sheriff's Office, Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, and Minneapolis Police Department, according to Kluntz.

 

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Original Post, 10:34 a.m. — A high-speed police pursuit tore through St. Michael shortly before 2 a.m. Thursday, according to law-enforcement radio scanner reports monitored at thePolice Clips Facebook page.

The chase started in Elk River, according to Police Clips, and ended in St. Anthony or northeast Minneapolis at about 1:55 a.m. Thursday. The chase went through St. Michael, Rogers, Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Fridley and New Brighton.

According to Police Clips, a Minnesota State Patrol helicopter assisted.

Wright County Sheriff's Office was not involved, according to public information officer Greg Howell.

According to police scanner reports, Wright County, along with Hennepin County, were notified by Sherburne County of the chase as it happened.

From the first of three audio clips posted by Police Clips, the chase began in Elk River:

"We're going south on 101, advise Hennepin and Wright"

"And request assistance from state"

"Left lane, speeds over 90 still southbound"

"Looks like we got about three occupants in here"

 "...speeds 100, no traffic"

The suspect took the exit to County Highway 36 into St. Michael:

"We’re going to be exiting on 36"

"We’re going to go westbound….trying to get squads to get him"

"Westbound into St. Michael, speeds 80, passing Quale Avenue"

"Passing 50th, speeds at 80, no traffic"

"Westbound passing Page, speeds at 70, no traffic"

One squad to another:"I’m going to back off from you a little bit with the way he’s driving"

"Still Westbound passing Ogren"

"Looks like we’re going to exit onto 94"

"Dispatch, we’re on 94 with speeds back up to 90"

...

"We’re eastbound on 94"

"Do we know if Wright County is monitoring this"

"Yes, everybody’s been advised"

"Eastbound speeds 100, a mile from 101, left lane, no traffic"

"Eastbound 94, passing 101, speeds 90, no traffic, left lane"

"Still eastbound left lane, speeds 100, no traffic"

"Moved to the right lane, still eastbound"

"Eastbound, center lane speeds 80, no traffic"

"Center lane, speeds 95, eastbound entering Maple Grove"

"Passing 101st Ave., left lane, speeds about 95

"Still eastbound, passing Maple Grove Parkway, center lane speeds about 90"

Officers told dispatch the pursuit was initially for a traffic violation. The license plate was registered to someone with a Grand Forks address.

The third audio clip has the conclusion of the pursuit.


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