Man charged in connection with vehicles stolen from Golden Valley

A Sandstone man with 25 prior felony convictions is facing multiple charges in connection with several incidents involving stolen cars.

Brian Baragar, 33, was charged on Monday in Hennepin County court with two counts of fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, one count of first-degree damage to property, and two counts of receiving stolen property.

According to a criminal complaint, on Aug. 17, law enforcement found Baragar driving a luxury vehicle that was stolen out of Golden Valley. Deputies from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office tried to stop the car but Baragar rammed multiple squad cars and left the scene.

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The stolen car was later found at the scene of a crash several blocks away around 5 p.m., the complaint added. Witnesses told law enforcement that Baragar had run from the scene to a nearby house and then left in a blue Camaro, which was also determined to have been stolen out of Golden Valley.

On Aug. 18, a deputy in an unmarked sheriff’s car saw the blue Camaro in Minneapolis, according to the complaint. After calling for backup, the deputy followed Baragar to North Minneapolis into the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant.

Multiple sheriff’s squad cars boxed Baragar in to stop him from fleeing again, the complaint stated, but Baragar used the Camaro to ram squad cars in an attempt to break free.

Law enforcement disabled the Camaro by pinning it against a tree. Baragar continued to rev the engine and spin the tires before officers forcibly removed him from the car as he resisted, according to the complaint.

Inside the Camaro, officers found a license plate that had been stolen from another car in the early morning hours on Aug. 18.

On Tuesday, Baragar was charged in Hennepin County Court with one count of third-degree burglary and one count of theft of a motor vehicle in connection with a stolen vehicle out of Golden Valley on Aug. 13.

Baragar also currently has a pending felony charge in Hennepin County for driving while intoxicated, fifth-degree possession, fourth-degree assault, third-degree burglary, and multiple counts of motor vehicle theft.

In 2022, Baragar received a dispositional departure on a felony vehicle theft conviction in Mille Lacs County. At that time, he had 25 separate felony convictions.

Baragar is due in court on Tuesday afternoon for a first appearance.