Rochester Police Issue Warrant For Zachary Bunnell After Chase

Update: Bunnell was booked into the Olmsted County Jail Sunday afternoon.

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- An arrest warrant has been issued for a Rochester fleeing suspect who fled a local hospital.

Court records indicate the incident occurred while he was out on bail for a prominent Rochester theft case that he was charged in earlier this year.

The warrant was filed in Olmsted County Court on Friday.

Warrant Issued for Rochester Man Accused of Fleeing Officer While Out On Bail for Theft Case

29-year-old Zachary James Bunnell is charged with a count of felony fleeing and a gross misdemeanor count of carrying a BB gun in a public place.

The warrant alleges a Rochester police officer on patrol saw a vehicle not stop at a red light at the intersection of 2nd St. and 1st Ave. SW in downtown Rochester on the night of February 1.

The vehicle failed to stop at a red light at the intersection of 1st Ave. and West Center St., the warrant says.

The officer activated her squad vehicle’s emergency lights and siren but the vehicle continued westbound on Center St.

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Suspect Vehicle Heavily Damaged During Police Chase Near Downtown Rochester Construction

The motorist swiped a concrete construction barrier before turning north on 5th Ave. NW at a low rate of speed. Smoke was seen coming from the hood of the vehicle and sparks were seen from underneath it, according to the warrant.

The driver turned onto eastbound 1st St. NW, accelerated and collided with a metal construction sign, which caused the vehicle’s left front tire to fall off. The vehicle stalled near 3rd Ave. SW and the driver exited to flee on foot, the warrant says.

Officers caught the driver and identified him as Bunnell. Police brought Bunnell to the hospital after he told officers he had ingested three grams of methamphetamine. Officers also detected the odor of alcohol on his breath, the complaint says.

Police also located an uncased rifle-style BB gun in the backseat of the vehicle Bunnell was driving, according to the court document.

Ice & Doctor Thwart Escape Attempts, Suspect Successfully Flees Hospital on Third Try

The warrant says Bunnell tried to leave the hospital twice on February 2.

He made it out of the building once but slipped and fell on ice. A doctor restrained him during his second attempt to leave, the complaint says.

He was seen making a series of phone calls after the first escape attempt. Bunnell was moved to a different area of the hospital where he successfully escaped from, the warrant states.

As of Saturday night he has not been arrested, according to Olmsted County Adult Detention Center records.

Bunnell was charged last month for a series of burglaries and thefts in the Rochester area that happened in December. His bail was set at $150,000 following his first court appearance, which was held on January 5.