Minnesota Man Drowns After Driving into St. Croix River During an Attempt to Evade Arrest

A 55-year-old man has died after he drove his vehicle into the St. Croix River during an attempt to evade arrest in Chisago County, Minnesota, on Thursday, according to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies with the Chisago County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop a vehicle being driven by Matthew Norman on Thursday around 5:56 p.m. Norman had an outstanding felony warrant out of Chisago County and instead of complying with deputies’ demands to stop the vehicle, he fled the scene, prompting a pursuit.

“Deputies pursued the suspect, which concluded when the driver drove into the St. Croix River,” the agency said in a news release on Friday.

Deputies say they saw him get out of the vehicle and start to swim away, but eventually lost sight of him in the water, the sheriff’s office says.

When that happened, multiple agencies gathered to search into the night. Just after 9 a.m. on Friday, the Chisago County Water Patrol found the body of a dead man about an eighth of a mile downstream from where the Norman had entered the river. The body was identified as Norman.

Agencies assisting with the response included the U.S. National Park Service, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Almelund Fire Department, Lindstrom Fire Department, Chisago City Fire Department, Stacy Fire Department, and the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office.