Charges: Pablo Jaimes shot at officers during pursuit with pregnant wife in car
RAMSEY COUNTY, Minn. -- A 30-year-old Minneapolis man was with his pregnant wife when he allegedly shot at police officers in a vehicle pursuit in Ramsey County earlier this month.
Pablo Jaimes faces three felony counts of first-degree assault (use of deadly force against a peace officer) and two felony counts of drive-by shooting in connection to the Sunday incident.
According to the complaint, a Minnesota State Patrol trooper attempted to stop Jaimes after he was spotted in an Oldsmobile Cutlass, speeding and driving on the shoulder of Interstate 35E near Arlington Avenue in St. Paul. He fled and drove off at speeds nearing 100 miles per hour.
When the chase neared Vadnais Heights, Jaimes allegedly fired a shot at the trooper. The gunshot did not strike the squad or the trooper.
As the pursuit headed east on Highway 96, White Bear Lake police became the primary squads involved in the pursuit, the complaint said. A Minnesota State Patrol helicopter was also following from above.
Jaimes allegedly slowed to nearly a stop at one point and fired multiple shots at two police squads. Again, no officers or squads were struck by gunfire. He then allegedly stopped the vehicle near the 1100 block of Birch Lake Boulevard in White Bear Lake Township and fled on foot with another person.
K-9 officers, guided by the state patrol helicopter, were able to locate Jaimes and a woman, identified in the complaint as ECMB. Jaimes was arrested. The woman, who is pregnant, was taken to the hospital after complaining of stomach pain.
A pistol was located nearby, allegedly abandoned by Jaimes during the pursuit.
Jaimes admitted to shooting at the officers, and said his wife had nothing to do with it, according to the complaint.
"He said his wife screamed at him to stop shooting - she never fired it," the complaint said.
Jaimes allegedly said he was frustrated with law enforcement for not doing anything when his property was vandalized in the past.
At the time of the incident, Jaimes had a suspended driver's license and a warrant out for his arrest in Hennepin County. The warrant was for a traffic stop where authorities found open bottles of beer and a loaded handgun in his car, along with methamphetamine in his wallet, the complaint said.
If convicted, Jaimes could face up to 25 years in prison for the first-degree assault charge.