High speed chase on the Avenue leads to multiple charges

To The Press

A high-speed chase on the Avenue of the Saints earlier this week resulted in multiple charges against a Minneapolis man and a male juvenile.

According to a report from the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, at about 10:50 p.m. Tuesday the Sheriff’s Office received a report of a reckless driver traveling eastbound on Highway 27 near the Portland exit in Cerro Gordo County.

The report was that the vehicle was speeding and had no tail lights.

A deputy located the vehicle on Highway 27 west of Floyd and clocked the vehicle’s speed at 100 mph in a 65 mph zone, the report said.

The deputy caught up to the vehicle, ran license plate information and the vehicle came back as stolen in Minneapolis. The deputy attempted to make a traffic stop on the vehicle and a high-speed chase ensued, reaching speeds higher than 100 mph, the report said.

The vehicle attempted to make a turn onto Waterbury Road from Highway 27, south of Floyd, lost control, went through the ditch and came to a stop in a farm field.

“The driver and passenger exited the vehicle and ran on foot. The driver, Leonard Lewis, 20 years old, from Minneapolis, was taken Into custody after a short foot chase,” the report said.

About an hour later a resident from the 1800 block of Cedar View Drive called to report a suspicious person knocking on their door. Deputies responded and located a juvenile male and confirmed he was the passenger of the vehicle from the chase.

A Floyd County deputy and Charles City police officer both received minor injuries and were treated and released at the Floyd County Medical Center.

Leonard Lewis was charged with felony eluding, a Class D felony; operating without owner’s consent, an aggravated misdemeanor; two counts of interference with official acts causing injuries, serious misdemeanors; speeding; two counts of failing to stop at a stop sign; and failure to have a valid driver’s license.

The juvenile male will be referred to Juvenile Court Services for charges of interference with official acts causing injury, the report said.

Other charges are pending on both Lewis and the juvenile male from both the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office and Minneapolis Police Department.

The Floyd County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Charles City Police Department and the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office.