Charges: Man Steals Snowplow, Gets Stuck, Flees Police
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 34-year-old man is accused of stealing a plow, getting it stuck in the snow and fleeing police.
According to the charges, Leroy Duane Woodbeck, of St. Paul, allegedly stole the vehicle on Feb. 18. Around 10:41 a.m., police were dispatched to the area of 267 Street West on a report of a suspicious person.
Witnesses told police Woodbeck's snowplow was stuck and he had been asking residents for assistance and for gasoline. One witness said he offered to call a tow truck but Woodbeck declined.
Prior to officers arriving on scene, they received notifications to be on alert for a stolen truck with a snowplow that was just taken from Burnsville.
When they arrived on scene, they saw the snowplow and fresh footprints in the snow.
Police ran the plates of the plow and saw it belonged to another owner.
Deputies searched the area and located footprints leading into a home and around the property. They saw two people -- a man and a woman -- running from the property and ordered them to stop.
They ignored orders and increased their pace. Police caught up to the woman, identified as Jessica Jovan Atkins.
A K9 unit was dispatched to search the woods for the man, identified by Atkins as Woodbeck.
Woodbeck was located hiding behind a tree and arrested.
Woodbeck is charged with possession of burglary or theft tools and fleeing a police officer.
