Man arrested after suspected drug use, ramming squad cars in Brooklyn Park

A man was arrested on Friday morning after ramming several Brooklyn Park squad cars, according to the Brooklyn Park Police Department.

Bruce Alan Austreng was booked for fifth-degree drug possession, fleeing police in a motor vehicle, fourth-degree driving while intoxicated, and obstruction of legal process with force, according to an initial report.

Officers from the Brooklyn Park Police Department (BPPD) say they were called to the 8500 block of 63rd Avenue North on Friday at around 1:45 a.m. for a report of a person slumped over behind the wheel of a running car. Law enforcement noted seeing a “smoking apparatus” in plain view.

Officers then woke Austreng, who declined to get out of the car or “submit to a DWI investigation.” Law enforcement negotiated with Austreng for almost 40 minutes before he put his car in gear and started ramming police squad cars back and forth in an attempt to escape, the report added.

Eventually, BPPD officers broke a car window and used a Taser to arrest him.