ST. JAMES — Police reported arresting a 45-year-old Sioux Falls, S.D. man after a foot chase and a 30-year-old Minneapolis woman in connection with a motor vehicle theft Sunday, Nov. 27.

Sherman Kills Plenty of Sioux Falls faces felony charges in Watonwan County Court for possession of a firearm, receiving stolen property, fleeing a peace officer and aiding and abetting motor vehicle theft, according to a St. James Police press release.

Tatewi Alexandra Kierst Eagle Deer of Minneapolis faces charges of theft of a motor vehicle and fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle.

St. James Police were following up on a report of a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe being taken from a St. James business parking lot. Viewing surveillance video, they saw that a blue Ford Fusion was involved as an accomplice vehicle during the Tahoe theft.

St. James Police Officer Brad Nestegard located a blue 2013 Ford Fusion in a parking lot on the 900 block of 10th Ave. S. in St. James. Kills Plenty was found near the vehicle before he ran from the officer and into a nearby apartment building. He was apprehended in the apartment building and transported to the Watonwan County Jail.

A backpack worn by Kills Plenty at the time of the arrest was searched. A semi-automatic handgun was found that was reported stolen from Minot, N.D. in 2019. Kills Plenty is not a suspect in the gun theft.

It was later learned that the 2013 Ford Fusion Kills Plenty was driving was reported stolen in Sioux Falls Nov. 27.

Shortly after Kills Plenty was arrested, the 2018 Chevy Tahoe was found just outside St. James. Madelia Police and a Watonwan County Sheriff’s Deputy pursued the vehicle into the southeast part of Watonwan County where the suspect drove into a slough.

The Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Dept. arrived with a drone to search for the suspect. Eagle Deer was found hiding in thick vegetation, about 100 yards from the vehicle.

She was arrested and transported to the Watonwan County Jail.

Search warrants were executed on both vehicles to obtain more evidence as the investigation continues.

The incident involved 10 law enforcement agencies including St. James, Truman and Madelia Police, the Watonwan, Martin, Blue Earth and Cottonwood County Sheriff’s Departments, the Truman Fire Department and Minnesota State Patrol.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@

nujournal.com).