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Just-released suspect is accused of stealing sheriff's department vehicle
Staff Writer Minutes after being released Wednesday from the Crow Wing County jail, a 20-year-old Brainerd man is suspected of walking across the street and stealing a Crow Wing County sheriff's department vehicle used for undercover operations.
Following a short pursuit that ended in Baxter, Christopher Wayne Schwarze was back in the jail.
Schwarze was initially arrested about 5:45 a.m. Wednesday after Brainerd police officers were called to Crow Wing County Detox, 11810 State Ave., to help staffers place the man in the seclusion room.
He was released on his own recognizance about 3:05 p.m., Sheriff Todd Dahl said. Dahl said the suspect walked across Laurel Street to the rear of the Law Enforcement Center and took the sheriff's department vehicle.
Dahl said he didn't know why the keys were left in the vehicle, but deputies and other staffers were nearby when it was stolen and the pursuit started immediately.
The pursuit, assisted by the Brainerd and Baxter police departments and the State Patrol, went from Laurel Street to East River Road, East River Road to College Drive, College Drive to Crow Wing County Road 48 in Baxter out to Highway 371, where Schwarze surrendered about 3:30 p.m. and was arrested without incident. On at least two occasions the vehicle was driven in the ditch during the pursuit, Dahl said.
Schwarze is again being held in the Crow Wing County jail, this time on fleeing a peace officer and motor vehicle theft.
"If you want to make a quick trip back to jail, that would be the way to do it," Dahl said. "You always read about something like this happening somewhere else, or see it on television, but you'd never think it would happen here."
Dahl noted the pursuit happened as schools were being let out for the day and it was fortunate no one was injured.
According to court documents, in 2007 Schwarze was charged with careless driving and driving after license suspension in Wadena County, driving an uninsured vehicle in Crow Wing County and theft in Cass County, for which a warrant was issued Wednesday because of a probation violation.
MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.
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