Minnesota Man Arrested After Law Enforcement Chase on Busy Rochester Road

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- Authorities have arrested a Twin Cities man accused of leading law enforcement on a pursuit on a busy road in Rochester. 

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The criminal complaint says the law enforcement pursuit happened on Tuesday. The chase occurred along South Broadway Ave. during the afternoon commute. 

The charges say an Olmsted County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to a property damage call at Gregerson Towing and Recovery along Hwy. 30 near the Rochester Airport shortly before 4:30 p.m. 

The initial report indicated a man later identified as 28-year-old Kenwone Darrian Pruitt of St. Paul drove his vehicle out of the lot without paying impound fees and damaged other vehicles in the lot during his exit. 

The responding deputy activated his squad car’s emergency lights after spotting the vehicle traveling north on South Broadway at the intersection with 28th St. The charges say the vehicle continued northbound until it was cut off at the intersection of South Broadway and 16th St. by the deputy and a Minnesota State Trooper who joined the pursuit. 

The trooper and deputy approached the vehicle in an attempt to execute a felony traffic stop and ordered Pruitt to exit the car. The deputy placed a tire deflation device underneath the suspect vehicle’s rear passenger tire and Pruitt took off after refusing to follow law enforcement’s commands, the complaint says. 

The trooper, deputy and Rochester Police Officer who arrived as Pruitt fled the traffic stop to the north were ordered to not pursue, the charges say. Moments later law enforcement learned the suspect vehicle was spotted at the Kwik Trip at the intersection of Hwy. 14 and 3rd Ave. Southeast. 

The deputy arrived at the store and saw the vehicle with a deflated tire and Pruitt standing next to it smoking a cigarette. Pruitt was then arrested and taken to the Olmsted County Jail, the complaint states. 

Pruitt is set to be arraigned on a felony fleeing charge and gross misdemeanor third-degree property damage charge in Olmsted County Court on Friday.

Story updated to include Pruitt's first court appearance 

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