High Speed Chase Ends In Steele County, Speeds Reached 114 mph
Charges are now pending against a homeless man after a Friday night high speed chase that allegedly reached speeds of 114 miles per hour.
According to KIMT-TV in Mason City, 33-year-old Brandon Marquardt was booked into the Freeborn County Jail early this morning on charges related to possession of a stolen motor vehicle, fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, and driving under the influence
Albert Lea police were called to the 700 block of Main Street East a little before 8 pm Friday about a 2004 Buick LeSabre that had been stolen from a business. An officer located the vehicle a short distance away at McDonald’s. Police spoke with the driver, who they say appeared to be intoxicated, and noticed that there was an open container of alcohol on the passenger floor.
Police say the driver, identified as Marquardt, refused to unlock the car, rolled up the windows, and drove across the grass.
A chase then began onto northbound Interstate 35 that reached speeds of 114 miles per hour. Freeborn County Sheriff’s deputies joined the pursuit as it went into Steele County. A tire deflation device was deployed near the Ellendale exit by Steele County deputies and it spiked one of the LeSabre’s tires. The chase continued north, however, at speeds of 70 to 80 miles an hour until a Freeborn County deputy was able to force the LeSabre to spin out near mile marker 30.
The car went out of control and wound up in the center median. Police then say Marquardt got out of the car and ran into a cornfield on the west side of the interstate. He was arrested shortly after that by an Albert Lea police officer.
Luckily no one was injured in this incident. A Freeborn County squad car did sustain slight damage from the chase.
Additional evidence was located in the vehicle that may tie Marquardt to other crimes in and around the Steele County/Freeborn County area.
The Minnesota State Patrol also assisted with this arrest.