A 28-year-old Forest Lake man was apprehended by police after a high-speed chase that ended near the intersection of Fourth Street Southwest and 11th Avenue Southwest the evening of March 5.
According to police, shortly before 10:30 p.m., an officer observed a Dodge Avenger being driven at a high rate of speed north on Interstate Highway 35, at times reaching speeds of 90 mph. The officer pursued, and the Avenger turned onto Broadway in Forest Lake and sped through town, driving 50 to 60 mph. Fearing that the vehicle’s high speed would cause a danger to residents, officers gave chase and deployed stop sticks to the vehicle on 11th Avenue Southwest, near Belz Park.
The sticks punctured two tires, halting the Avenger. Officers arrested Justin Michael Scanlon for fleeing in a motor vehicle and DWI (a breath test allegedly showed him as being over the legal blood alcohol limit). During a search of the vehicle, officers also allegedly found a substance they believed to be marijuana.
Church burglary
Police are still investigating an early-morning March 4 burglary of a Hosanna Lutheran Church in Forest Lake.
According to police, someone broke into the church, 9300 Scandia Trail N., and stole four microphones worth $175 each, as well as about $100 in cash from a donation jar. An alarm was triggered in the early morning but no suspects have been arrested yet.