Bemidji High-Speed Chase Ends With Car Crashing Into Mississippi River

A high-speed police chase on the outskirts of Bemidji today ended when the car leading the chase went into the Mississippi River.

Bemidji Police Chief Mike Mastin says it started around 1 PM Thursday when a citizen reported there was a physical assault taking place inside a vehicle traveling northbound on Paul Bunyan Drive near the Mississippi River bridge. A Bemidji Police Officer in the area located the vehicle and attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the driver failed to stop and fled westbound on 5th Street NW at speeds up to 95 mph.

The pursuit continued southbound on Jefferson Ave. and Carr Lake Road at speeds exceeding 100 mph then turned north on Monroe Ave., where the vehicle went across a yard and crashed into the Mississippi River. As the vehicle floated downstream, two suspects escaped the vehicle and swam to the opposite river bank. Assisting Beltrami County Sheriff’s Deputies and Bemidji Police Officers were able to locate and detain both suspects.

One individual is identified as 22-year-old Hamia Boos of Minneapolis. The second individual is a juvenile and is not being identified. The juvenile was transported to Sanford Health for evaluation and treatment of minor injuries.

One Bemidji Police Officer was injured during the pursuit and received treatment for minor injuries. The case remains under investigation.