Charges: Man Led Police On Pursuit In Stolen Semi; Rammed Squad Car
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 42-year-old Winona man is in jail after he allegedly stole a semi and led police on a pursuit that lasted over an hour Saturday.
Michael Kronebusch faces two felony counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, one felony count of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and one felony count of receiving stolen property in connection with the March 31 incident.
According to charges filed in Winona County, a Winona police officer was on routine patrol at 12:26 a.m. Saturday when he observed a semi-tractor matching the description of one stolen the day before.
When the officer attempted to stop the semi, the semi did not pull over and increased speed.
During the pursuit, authorities say the driver disobeyed multiple rules of the road, including speeding, driving over the centerline, running stop signs and throwing items like clothing out of the window.
After leading police on pursuit for over an hour – and intentionally ramming a squad car multiple times – officers were able to break out the driver's side window and arrest the suspect, the complaint said.
Authorities say the suspect, identified as Kronebusch, resisted arrest multiple times and had to Taser him to get him out of the semi. Once he was thrown from the semi, he continued to resist arrest.
If convicted, Kronebusch faces up to 7 years in prison on each assault charge and up to 3 years for the fleeing charge.
