$75K Bail for Dodge County Man After Multi-Agency Pursuit

Dodge Center, MN (KROC-AM News) - Conditional bail has been set at $75,000 for a Dodge County man who was arrested earlier this week following a chase.

The criminal complaint filed against 48-year-old Kyle Steven Eckhoff says a State Trooper was attempting to serve a DNA search warrant on the Dodge Center man in the early afternoon of December 10 when he located a rental car associated with Eckhoff in the parking lot of a Dodge Center apartment complex. The trooper indicated that he had previously attempted to serve the warrant at the apartment, but no one answered the door even though he could hear movement inside.

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Instead of knocking on the door again, the charges state that the Trooper waited in his squad car until Eckhoff came out of the residence and got into the rental vehicle. While following Eckhoff as he drove away, the trooper reported that Eckhoff accelerated rapidly to pass a truck and that's when he initiated a traffic stop.

According to the criminal complaint, the trooper stated that it appeared Eckhoff was going to pull over, but instead he sped away with the trooper in pursuit at speeds reaching 90 mph. At that point, the trooper discontinued the chase and began searching the area for the rental car.

The court document says a Dodge County Sheriff's Sergeant eventually spotted the vehicle in Claremont and saw Eckhoff come out from behind a garage. The Sergeant described how he confronted Eckhoff and informed him that he was under arrest. It's alleged that Eckhoff responded by walking away, and the Sergeant eventually deployed his taser when he refused to comply with orders to stop.

AFTER BEING SHOCKED WITH A TASER, THE MAN ALLEGEDLY "SQUARED UP IN AN AGRESSIVE STANCE" WITH THE LAW OFFICER

Despite being knocked to the ground by the Taser shock, the charges allege that Eckhoff got up and "squared up in an aggressive stance" with the law enforcement officer before he got into the rental car and drove away. The Sheriff's Sergeant then began pursuing the vehicle with his emergency lights activated.

The criminal complaint says additional law enforcement personnel joined the pursuit and a State Trooper eventually deployed stop sticks on a rural highway, which flattened one of the rental cars' front tires. The pursuing officers indicated that Eckhoff continued to drive with sparks coming from the rim where the tire had been deflated before he eventually stopped.

At that point, the court document says Eckhoff was seen attempting to reach into the back seat of the vehicle and ignored orders to stop before a Dodge County deputy fired five rounds of pepper ball at him. Eckhoff then allegedly approached the deputy "with an apparent attitude to attack" and the deputy used his taser on him.

The deputy reported that he was forced to use the Taser for a second time after the first shock knocked him to the ground and Eckhoff attempted to get back up. He was then subdued, handcuffed, and placed in the squad car, where a State Trooper attempted to serve the DNA warrant, but Eckhoff allegedly bit the swab sticks off while in his mouth.

He is charged with a single felony count of fleeing police. His next court appearance has been scheduled on the day after Christmas.