A 43-year-old man is in custody after a high-speed chase through the Mankato area Tuesday that wrecked squad cars, damaged several civilian vehicles and briefly shut down eastbound Highway 14. Two Mankato police officers and a motorist were treated at Mayo Clinic Health System and later released, according to authorities.
In a press release shared on the City of Mankato’s Facebook page, the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office said agents with the Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force and deputies were assisting the Minnesota Department of Corrections when they located the driver, identified as 43-year-old Brandon Michael Hall. Deputies tried to box Hall in at the intersection of County Road 11 and State Highway 68 before his vehicle bolted, kicking off a chase that quickly drew in multiple agencies, according to the City of Mankato.
How the pursuit unfolded
Investigators say Hall’s vehicle struck one of the task force agent’s squads during that initial box-in attempt before taking off, according to KTTC. Officers deployed stop-stick devices near Minneopa State Park, but Hall allegedly swerved around them and kept going east on Highway 68, reportedly topping 100 mph at times.
The chase then turned north onto Highway 169 and eventually funneled onto Highway 14. There, authorities say Hall’s 2020 Ford Edge sideswiped another driver’s vehicle on the on-ramp before later colliding with a 2018 Ford Fusion. That impact shoved the Fusion into an unoccupied Mankato police squad car and ultimately disabled Hall’s SUV, KEYC reported. Officials said Hall initially refused to get out, and officers used less-lethal munitions in an effort to force compliance.
When the SUV started to smoke, Hall finally stepped out, still clutching a large knife, and ran along the highway shoulder, according to CBS Minnesota. Officers then deployed additional less-lethal tools along with a Taser before bringing him down and taking him into custody. Hall was evaluated for injuries at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato and later booked into the Blue Earth County Jail on multiple charges tied to the pursuit.
Suspect's record and custody status
The Minnesota Department of Corrections had an outstanding warrant for Hall connected to a Blue Earth County drug case, and court records cited by KEYC show a prior first-degree felony conviction for attempting to sell illicit drugs. The sheriff’s release, posted to the City of Mankato’s Facebook page, listed the Blue Earth County court file number as 07-cr-21-2746. The sheriff’s office says investigators are working with the Minnesota State Patrol as the case is reviewed and charges are finalized.
Legal notes
Hall is being held on multiple charges stemming from the chase, which will be reviewed by the Blue Earth County Attorney’s Office as investigators continue to build the case. The sheriff’s office said the Minnesota State Patrol is assisting with the investigation, according to the City of Mankato. No additional charging documents were publicly available as of Wednesday night.
