COOK — What started as a routine welfare check near the railroad tracks in Cook on Saturday morning turned into a high-speed pursuit involving a teenage driver.
St. Louis County deputies were called to Johnson Road east of Hwy. 53 around 7:45 a.m. on Aug. 2 after a report of a man passed out behind the wheel of a parked vehicle. As Cook Ambulance arrived on scene, the driver suddenly woke up and sped away.
Moments later, 911 dispatchers began receiving reports of the same vehicle being driven recklessly in the area. Deputies spotted the car heading south on Hwy. 53 and attempted a stop, but the driver refused to pull over.
The pursuit stretched several miles down the highway before the vehicle entered the median, turned around, and rejoined traffic heading north, striking another passenger vehicle and causing minor damage. No injuries were reported.
The chase continued back through the city of Cook at high speeds. The driver eventually pulled over north of Cook, near Samuelson Road, and was taken into custody without incident.
The suspect, a 17-year-old male, was arrested for fleeing in a motor vehicle, fourth-degree DWI, speeding, and open bottle. He was transported to Arrowhead Regional Corrections in Duluth.
Cook Ambulance and first responders, the Minnesota State Patrol, and the Bois Forte Police Department assisted in the incident.