Merrifield Man Arrested After High-Speed Chase Near Round Lake

A Crow Wing County deputy attempting to stop a vehicle April 20 for a traffic violation on Highway 371 north by Round Lake ended up in a high-speed chase that resulted in the apprehension of a Brainerd man and arrest of two other area men.

According to the Crow County Sheriff’s Office, instead of pulling over to the side of the road, the driver of the vehicle turned onto Ojibwa Road and then into a residential driveway. The vehicle then drove around the house, through the yard and eventually back onto Highway 371 north bound. The vehicle then turned southbound on Hwy 371 and back down Ojibwa Road where it continued at a high rate of speed.

At the intersection of Ojibwa Road and County Road 127, one passenger, Chad Biske, 35, of Brainerd, Minn., bailed out of the vehicle. Biske was apprehended by officers involved in the pursuit.

The driver then continued east bound on County Road 127, eventually turning down Snowshoe Trail. At this time, the vehicle stopped and the driver, later identified as Erick Lewandowski, 26, of Merrifield, Minn., fled on foot into a residential neighborhood. The pursuing deputy arrested another passenger that was in the vehicle. He was identified as Jason Young, 41, of Jenkins, Minn. Young was arrested for probation violation and drug possession.

Other responding officers set up a perimeter around the area where Lewandowski had fled. Approximately 15 minutes later, deputies located and arrested Lewandowski as he was trying to leave the area on a bicycle. It was later discovered that the he had entered a garage in the neighborhood and stole the bicycle he was riding. Lewandowski was booked into the Crow Wing County Jail for multiple charges including Felony Fleeing a Peace Officer and 4^th Degree Burglary.

Crow Wing County deputies were assisted by Nisswa Police Dept. and the Minnesota State Patrol.