Pursuit speeds

over 130 mph

BROWN COUNTY — A 38-year-old Minneapolis man, Leroy T. Bradley, faces felony charges for fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and misdemeanor charges for reckless driving after a Aug. 19 pursuit involving an alleged stolen vehicle.

According to court documents, Springfield officer Erik W. Gratz was monitoring radio traffic on Aug. 19 and heard Brown County Dispatch advise deputies and New Ulm Police of a pursuit that could enter Brown County from Nicollet County involving a stolen vehicle that was westbound on U.S. Highway 14 towards Courtland.

The pursuit later discontinued because the vehicle, a gray, Dodge Durango, evaded law enforcement, despite search efforts by Nicollet County and the Minnesota State Patrol.

At about 10:15 p.m., Gratz was on patrol in Springfield when he heard Brown County Dispatch advise Sleepy Eye Police that Sirius XM satellite radio company called, reporting they pinged a vehicle involved in the previous pursuit that was now westbound on Highway 14 towards Sleepy Eye.

Gratz was about 2 miles east of Cobden when he noted a couple of vehicles traveling west towards him. One was a dark-colored SUV, a newer gray Dodge Durango without a front license plate. Gratz pursued the Durango whose driver was driving recklessly, passing in and out of traffic at speeds of more than 120 miles per hour.

The pursuit continued around “s” curves just west of the railroad tracks that cross over Highway 14 west of Cobden. The suspect nearly rolled the vehicle when he hit the gravel shoulder, topping 130 miles per hour at times.

Gratz was flagged down by a citizen in a tan Buick LeSabre who told him the suspect vehicle turned off Highway 14 in Springfield and went north on a side street near the car wash, then headed east out of town on Highway 14.

Gratz advised Sleepy Eye Police and a Brown County Deputy about the suspect vehicle. Brown County Dispatch advised the suspect vehicle was pinged by Sirius XM traveling south on Brown County Road 5 towards Comfrey.

Gratz notified Brown, Cottonwood and Watonwan County of the suspect vehicle whereabouts and asked for assistance. Cottonwood County deputies located the suspect vehicle and pursued it on their County Road 10 westbound. The suspect vehicle later headed south on U.S. Highway 71 towards Windom.

Bradley was later apprehended in Jackson County. He was summoned to appear in Brown County District Court at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 9.