On Wednesday, March 17 at approximately 9:45 p.m., Ramsey County sheriff deputies were attempting to locate a suspect in a stolen vehicle that had just fled from Mounds View Police Officers. The suspect vehicle was last seen on Mounds View Boulevard and County Road H approaching the 35W interchange.
As a deputy was en route to the area of Highway 10 and 35W to search for the suspect vehicle, the suspect vehicle struck the deputy’s squad car. The deputy’s squad car had its emergency lights activated and was proceeding through a green light. The deputy’s squad car was struck on westbound Highway 96 just west of the Highway 10 bridge as the suspect vehicle was exiting southeast Highway 10 on to Highway 96. When the deputy’s squad car was struck by the suspect vehicle, it spun around and struck another vehicle before catching on fire. Another responding deputy, who arrived on scene shortly after the crash, reported there was a heavy cloud of smoke and debris scattered over all lanes of traffic.