A simple pull-over for driving without headlights in St. Cloud escalated fast late Wednesday night, ending with a foot chase, a loaded handgun on the floorboard and a long list of charges for the 21-year-old driver, according to police.
Officers say the stop went down around 10:45 p.m. at 9th Street South and 11th Avenue South after they spotted a vehicle rolling through the area with no headlights. As officers approached, the driver allegedly bolted from the car but was quickly caught and identified as 21-year-old Abdulaziz Abdo Hussein of St. Cloud, WJON reported.
Back at the vehicle, officers say they found a loaded handgun on the driver’s side floorboard, along with ammunition, four empty handgun boxes and what they described as multiple open containers of alcohol and marijuana. Hussein was arrested and taken to the Stearns County Jail.
According to WJON, he is being held on a stack of potential charges that include second-degree DWI, DWI test refusal, possession of a firearm without a permit, fleeing police on foot, obstruction of the legal process and open-container violations.
An 18-year-old passenger, identified as Isabella Ross-Strand of Graceville, was also cited for underage consumption, police said.
How This Fits Into St. Cloud’s Traffic Crackdown
The late-night stop comes as St. Cloud police have been leaning hard into traffic enforcement, particularly on busy routes where speeding and reckless driving have become regular complaints.
In recent months, the department has been running saturation patrols that focus on high-volume corridors across the city, generating dozens of stops and citations in single enforcement waves, as reported by KNSI. Wednesday’s arrest fits the pattern officers say they often see: a minor violation that uncovers much bigger problems.
Charges, Court And What Comes Next
Per WJON, Hussein was being held for a Stearns County court appearance on the listed charges while prosecutors review the case. Those counts carry the potential for jail time and fines if charges are formally filed and lead to a conviction.
Prosecutors could add, drop or amend charges as they go through the police report and evidence, and the case could end up in trial or plea negotiations. Police have not released further information about how the handgun ended up in the vehicle.
At the time of publication, authorities had not posted a detailed court schedule or additional updates. We will continue to track public filings in Stearns County as the case moves forward.
