BROOKINGS – Two Sioux Falls men were arrested after a multi-agency high-speed chase and foot pursuit in Brookings on Tuesday, according to Brookings Police.
“It’s hard for people to get away in the wintertime when you leave behind shoe impressions in the snow,” Lt. Marci Gebers said.
Arrested was Cody Hall, 38, of Sioux Falls, who was driving a 2019 Volkswagen Jetta stolen out of Sioux Falls, Gebers said. He had four outstanding warrants for dangerous drugs and assault. He is also facing charges of possession of a stolen motor vehicle, driving revoked, aggravated eluding, and second-degree burglary for allegedly entering an unlocked residence in Brookings.
Also arrested was the passenger, Charles Olson, 46, of Sioux Falls, who was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, obstructing law enforcement, and accessory for harboring Hall. That last charge was added because Olson was aware that Hall had outstanding warrants, Gebers said.
At 1:03 p.m. Tuesday, Brookings Police received an alert from state radio about an individual with multiple warrants who was possibly traveling from Sioux Falls to Brookings, Gebers said. Local officers were also given a description of the vehicle.
“Officers located that vehicle traveling north on I-29 and initiated a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle – Hall – failed to stop for law enforcement and a high-speed pursuit ensued,” Gebers said. Speeds were reported in excess of 100 mph.
“The pursuit was terminated due to the high speeds and reckless actions of Hall. Officers quickly established a perimeter where he was last seen,” she said.
An officer located the Jetta “abandoned in the 900 block of 15th Street South with the driver’s door ajar,” Gebers said.
The Brookings County Sheriff’s Office rendered assistance and law enforcement officers blanketed the area in the perimeter to search for the suspects, she said.
While they were searching, a 911 call came in from the 1300 block of Pheasant Run Road.
“Her dog was barking and she could tell something was wrong,” Gebers said.
The woman found Hall in her residence “and escorted him out of the residence,” Gebers said. “He had asked her not to call the police. … He took off running then when he found out that she was calling the police.”
“Officers were able to locate Hall hiding in a pine tree in that same area. He was taken into custody at that time,” Gebers said.
Olson was located in the area, too, and taken into custody.
The Brookings Ambulance was dispatched to the scene to evaluate an injury Hall’s knee. He was cleared by the ambulance crew and both Hall and Olson were transported to the Brookings County Detention Center, Gebers said.
An operation of this size takes a lot of boots on the ground, she said.
“We are thankful that the Sheriff’s Office assisted with our investigation and our officers did a really good job in establishing the perimeter and locating the suspects,” Gebers said.
While the snow helped officers with tracking, they also had another option: They were communicating with the Sheriff’s Office to borrow K-9 Deputy Arras. The Belgian Malinois is a full-service dog and can detect drugs, track and apprehend suspects. The Brookings Police’s K-9 Officer Gina is a drug detection dog.
“Sheriff (Marty) Stanwick has made it a point to make their dog available to us,” Gebers said. “That’s a really good tool that the Sheriff’s Office has made available to us.”
Contact Jodelle Greiner at jgreiner@brookingsregister.com.
