On September 26, 2019, at about 1:25 A.M., Officer Palcher had been westbound Pine Street approaching South 5th Street in the city of Brainerd, Crow Wing County, MN, in marked squad #424. Palcher could hear a vehicle with loud exhaust accelerating northbound on South 5th Street from Quince Street. The vehicle passed by Palcher and then turned eastbound onto Norwood Street. Palcher began to drive towards the vehicle which was a silver Honda passenger car with a younger looking male driver.

Palcher observed the vehicle seem to pull very quickly into the Holiday Station parking lot from Norwood Street. Palcher continued to drive towards the vehicle as it rounded the Holiday Station building out of sight. Palcher could hear the vehicle squealing its tires and could hear its engine revving as it was driving unreasonably fast around the building. It appeared very obvious to Palcher that the vehicle was trying to get away from him.

Palcher followed around the building where he had heard the vehicle going, now observing it more than two blocks ahead of him eastbound on Norwood Street. The vehicle obviously had been accelerating at full throttle and not stopping at stop signs, appearing over twice the 30 mile per hour speed limit as it continued eastbound on Norwood Street from South 9th Street and out of sight. Palcher had activated his emergency lights and siren as the vehicle was fleeing away from him on Norwood Street. When Palcher got to about South 9th Street, he could again observe the vehicle at a distance, now turning southbound on Southeast 13th Street. The vehicle went out of sight on Southeast 13th Street. When Palcher got to Southeast 13th Street, Palcher noted that it was still accelerating more than double the speed limit and continuing to be many blocks in front of Palcher. Palcher discontinued actively pursuing the vehicle and shut off his emergency lights at one point on Southeast 13th Street just south of Oak Street. Palcher lost sight of the vehicle southbound on Southeast 13th Street.

Moments later, Deputy Davis advised that he was now in pursuit of the vehicle southbound on Southeast 13th Street from the County Fairgrounds. Palcher then drove his squad to assist Deputy Davis as he was pursuing the vehicle southbound on County Road 45 from County Road 117. Palcher had his emergency lights activated and siren. Palcher assisted in pursuing the vehicle about 23 miles southbound on County Road 45 into Morrison County. The vehicle was ranging from about 70 to in excess of 80 miles per hour and occasionally driving over the centerline. Officers never met any other traffic on the roadway during the pursuit. Once reaching the Freedhem area in Morrison County, Morrison County deputies were in position to assist. Their deputies deployed stop sticks, which flattened two of the vehicle’s tires. The suspect vehicle shortly after came to rest on the west side of the roadway in a wet farm field.

Palcher and deputies ran towards the vehicle. The driver was still revving the vehicle’s engine and spinning its tires, trying to get it unstuck. The driver was eventually removed from the vehicle and identified as Christopher Charles Ames (DOB 05/11/1989), Defendant herein. Defendant was placed under arrest. Deputy Davis conducted a search of Defendant and in his right front pocket, located a small baggy containing a white crystal-like substance that Defendant admitted was methamphetamine. The substance tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed 4.8 grams.

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