Two juveniles arrested after leading law enforcement on 103-mile chase

Adam Kurtz, Grand Forks Herald
·2 min read

May 8—Two juveniles were taken into custody and are facing charges after leading multiple law enforcement agencies on a 103-mile chase that spanned from Pembina to outside of Fargo.

According to a release from the North Dakota Highway Patrol, a deputy in Pembina observed a speeding pickup that was reported as stolen from Harwood, N.D. When the deputy attempted a traffic stop the truck fled southbound on Interstate 29 at speeds that topped out at 95 mph.

At one point in the county-spanning chase, the vehicle left the interstate on Highway 54 and briefly entered Minnesota before returning to North Dakota, and continuing south on I-29. Spike strips set out by the Grand Forks County Sheriff's Office took out one tire, but the vehicle continued heading south.

The suspect vehicle entered a construction zone south of Hillsboro and drove southbound in the northbound lane toward oncoming traffic before merging back into the southbound lane.

At milepost 75, the vehicle drove over another spike strip, deployed by a North Dakota Highway Patrol trooper, which took out two more tires. The vehicle continued on with one tire remaining.

The driver was unable to continue on in one lane and the vehicle began drifting toward pursuing law enforcement vehicles. Officers then used a pursuit intervention technique on the vehicle before it was able to enter the Fargo-metro area. The driver of the stolen vehicle left the road and entered the west ditch of I-29, where it again continued to flee to the south, before reentering the interstate, and striking a NDHP squad car.

The suspect vehicle was then forcibly rammed off the roadway by a NDHP squad car, which ended the chase in the west ditch. A juvenile male driver and juvenile male passenger were taken into custody without further incident. The pursuit covered 103 miles on I-29. There were no injuries to the suspects or law enforcement.

Both suspects are facing charges of fleeing, reckless endangerment, theft of a motor vehicle and possession of stolen property.

Agencies involved in this incident include: Pembina County Sheriff's Office, Walsh County Sheriff's Office, Grand Forks County Sheriff's Office, Trail County Sheriff's Office, Cass County Sheriff's Office and the North Dakota Highway Patrol.