(Estherville)–Two teenage runaways from Forest Ridge near Estherville face a myriad of charges following a high speed chase August 7th in Emmet county and Martin county, Minnesota that injured a sheriff’s deputy and a police officer.
Emmet County Sheriff Mike Martens says it all started shortly after 10:30 p.m. after authorities received a call reporting suspicious activity at a farm north of Wallingford. A neighbor reported seeing a pickup that was pulling a stock trailer leave the scene, with the owner in pursuit. The owner attempted to pull in front of the stolen pickup south of Gruver, but the driver of the stolen pickup attempted to collide with the vehicle he was driving.
The stolen pickup and trailer continued northbound to Highway 9 where Emmet county deputies made contact with it. The driver refused to stop, forcing a deputy into the ditch when he tried to pass.
Estherville police then attempted to deploy stop sticks near the Minnesota border. Two tires on the stolen pickup were flattened, but the pursuit continued into Martin county on Highway 4, narrowly missing two vehicles that had pulled over for the pursuit.
As the pursuit continued, authorities say a passenger in the stolen vehicle lit a gas can on fire and threw it at pursuing law enforcement vehicles.
An Emmet county deputy then attempted to conduct a rolling road block by getting in front of the pickup. The driver of the pickup then accelerated, striking the rear of the deputy’s patrol car. The driver of the pickup then lost control. The pickup and trailer went into a ditch.
The driver and passenger got out and ran into a cornfield. Both were taken into custody a short time later.
The driver, 17-year-old Brittany Hall, was charged with three counts of failure to stop at a stop sign, theft in the first degree, going armed with intent, eluding law enforcement, assault of a police officer with a vehicle, assault of a police K9 with a vehicle, one count of burglary in the third degree, one count of burglary in the second degree, unlawful possession of a prescription drug and possession of alcohol under the legal age.
The passenger, 16-year-old Chanelle Treto, was charged with theft in the first degree, eluding law enforcement, going armed with intent, assault of a police officer with a vehicle, assault of a police K9 with a vehicle, possession and use of explosive or incendiary materials, unlawful possession of a prescription drug and possession of alcohol under the legal age.
The two girls had been reported as runaways from the Forest Ridge residential treatment facility. They were transported to the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office and were transferred to the Youth Emergency Services Center in Cherokee.
Martens says Emmet County Sheriff’s Deputy Dale Baruth received minor injuries and wasn’t treated. Emmet county K9 Kacie who was on duty with Baruth wasn’t injured. Estherville police officer Matt Reineke received minor injuries and was treated at Avera Holy Family Hospital following the incident.
Damage to the Emmet county sheriff’s vehicle was estimated in excess of seven thousand dollars; the stolen pickup owned, by John Umscheid of rural Estherville, sustained about five thousand dollars in damage.
The teens are also accused of burglarizing Umscheid’s residence. Jewelry, knives, clothing and other items were reported missing.
The Armstrong Police Department, Iowa State Patrol and the Minnesota State Patrol also assisted.
