St. Cloud man arrested in corn field after burglary call turns into police chase

Authorities say a man who led officers on a chase overnight Wednesday morning is in custody.

According to the Waite Park Police Department, officers were called to the 400 block of Fourth Street North shortly after midnight Wednesday morning for a suspicious vehicle, as well as a possible burglary that was in progress.

When officers arrived, they attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver didn’t pull over and, instead, sped off, according to police.

While an exact speed wasn’t provided, police say the vehicle was traveling west at a high rate of speed on County Road 75/Division Street.

Officers with the St. Joseph Police Department then deployed stop sticks near County Road 3, and although the vehicle appeared to hit the sticks, the tires didn’t immediately deflate, causing the chase to continue through St. Joseph and onto Interstate 94.

Eventually, the tires started to break apart on the interstate, and the driver took an exit for St. John’s University and made his way to a private home.

Police say the vehicle caused minor damage to the home’s siding after the vehicle grazed the side of the house.

The driver then got out of the vehicle and ran into a nearby cornfield, where officers eventually found him after forming a perimeter.

Police say they found a stolen U-Haul trailer from the city of St. Cloud where the attempted break-in happened.

The man was arrested and booked into the Stearns County Jail after being evaluated at St. Cloud Hospital and could face felony charges, police say.

No injuries were reported and no squad vehicles were damaged, police add.