A suspect fleeing a “suspicious” Rogers Police officer drove through the Minnesota Highway 241/Interstate 94 interchange at the westbound off-ramp, careening into cars and injuring several motorists around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20.
According to Rogers Police, Minnesota State Patrol and local media reports, a Rogers Police Officer was dispatched to Kohl’s Department store Wednesday afternoon. Upon approaching the scene, five people loaded into a vehicle and headed the opposite direction, making their way to Interstate 94.
The police officer pursued from a safe distance, not wanting to create a “chase” situation, but the car traveled along westbound Interstate 94 at a very high rate of speed, reports stated, weaving in and out of traffic along the way.
The car abruptly exited Interstate 94 at Highway 241 in St. Michael, and continued its high rate of speed – witnesses estimated approximately 100 MPH – and tried to head through the intersection it back down the freeway. Instead, the car lost control, launched into the air and collided into a vehicle.
The police officer from Rogers was about a mile behind the accident, reports state.
Injured were two people in the car struck by the fleeing vehicle, as well as all five people in the suspect vehicle. One person transported was unconscious, but breathing. The condition of all seven people injured in the accident is unknown at this time.
The Minnesota State Patrol is now investigating the crash. Names and make of vehicles have not been released at this time.