What began as a reported burglary in progress on a rural stretch of County Road 41 near McGrath ended with a ditch crash, a K-9 search, and two people in custody on Wednesday, according to Pine County deputies.
Deputies were called to the 9000 block of County Road 41 after a caller reported an active break-in and gave a description of a vehicle seen at the scene. A deputy soon spotted a vehicle that matched the description, tried to pull it over, and, after it fled, deployed spike strips. The vehicle later went into a ditch, and both occupants took off on foot. One person was detained at the scene, while the second was found after a K-9 search, taken to a hospital for a precautionary check, and then booked into custody.
The sheriff's office says both people were ultimately taken into custody; one was transported to the county jail after the precautionary hospital visit. The Pine County Jail in Pine City lists its address and contact details online.
How the pursuit unfolded
According to a detailed post by the Pine County Sheriff's Office, deputies were dispatched after the burglary-in-progress call and vehicle description came in. A deputy located the described vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver took off. Officers deployed spike strips and the vehicle ended up in a ditch, after which both occupants ran away on foot.
The post says one person was detained right at the crash scene. A K-9 named Luda then tracked the remaining suspect to a spruce tree, where he was arrested. The Mille Lacs Tribal Unit assisted at the scene, according to the Pine County Sheriff's Office.
Who police say the suspects are
The sheriff's post identified the arrested woman as Cassie Nelson of Minneapolis and named the second suspect as Andre Secord. The post also notes that Secord is currently on Hennepin County probation and lists his address as Rush City prison.
Rush City is a Minnesota Department of Corrections facility in Chisago County, and the DOC's Rush City page lists the prison's address and contact information: Minnesota DOC.
The sheriff's post did not list any formal charges. Officials credited deputies, K-9 Luda and partner agencies with what they called "outstanding work" and urged anyone with additional information to contact the sheriff's office. The full update is available on the department's Facebook page: Pine County Sheriff's Office.
