St. Cloud Man Lead Morrison County Deputies On Foot Chase

Matthew Thomas Bellanger, 36 of St. Cloud. Courtesy Morrison County Jail.

A St. Cloud man led law enforcement on a foot pursuit after Morrison County Sheriff deputies received a call of a suspicious vehicle.

The Sheriff’s Office says that it was contacted at 11:46 on Monday evening for the report of a suspicious vehicle near the Pow Wow Grounds west of Royalton.

While deputies were investigating, a male suspect fled the vehicle and led them on a pursuit ending near the city of Rice, which is about seven miles southeast of Royalton.

Deputies were able to determine that the license plate on the vehicle involved had been altered with black tape and was found to be stolen out of St. Cloud.

Matthew Bellanger, 36, was arrested and is being held in Morrison County Jail on suspicion of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and possession of a stolen vehicle. He had two warrants for his arrest including for contempt of court and fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle.

Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen wants residents to continue to call in any suspicious activity.

The Minnesota State Patrol, Benton County Sheriff’s Office and Rice Police Department assisted at the scene.