Posted: 4/9/03

Back-up role turns to chase for city police

What started as a routine police back-up duty for Forest Lake police on Monday suddenly turned to a high-speed chase when events did not go as planned.

Forest Lake officers were part of a special detail shortly before 6 p.m. Monday at the Conoco station at I-35 and TH-97.

Local officers joined Washington County deputies and officers from the Minneapolis Police Department who were attempting to make a traffic stop of an individual believed to be involved in drug dealing.

The sheriffís office said the stop was initially made on southbound I-35 near TH-97 but the suspect failed to yield to police vehicles. The vehicle continued south on I-35W at speeds approaching 100 miles an hour until it exited at CR-H in Arden Hills at 5:55 p.m. Forest Lake officers were involved in the chase.

Police said the pursuit ended when the suspect vehicle turned onto a dead-end road and became stuck in a drainage ditch.

The two male occupants of the vehicle fled on foot. One adult male was arrested at the scene and taken to the Washington County Jail in Stillwater.

Joining in the pursuit were officers from the Minnesota State Patrol, the Ramsey County Sheriffís Office and the Mounds View Police Department who continued the search for the second man.

The second suspect was apprehended later.

Names of the two suspects have not been released. They await formal charging.

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