Update on Vehicle Crash at Bemidji’s Paul Bunyan Mall

Site of crash at Paul Bunyan Mall on Tuesday
Photo Credit: Bemidji Police Department

The driver of a vehicle that crashed into the Paul Bunyan Mall in Bemidji on Tuesday has been identified.

Damian Smith reportedly called 911 while driving to inform them he was having a mental breakdown. Dispatch also received several other calls of a reckless vehicle in the same area.

Smith did stop at the Sanford Health walk-in clinic at one point to speak with officers before backing up into the clinic and leaving the parking lot.

“The pursuit ensued southbound on Irvine Ave.,” Bemidji Police Chief Mike Mastin told Lakeland News. “On Irvine Ave. [at] about 24th Street, one of our officers was able to deploy what are called stop sticks, that device was able to flatten two tires on the driver’s side, and the vehicle continued westbound on [Highway] 197 towards the mall.”

Smith also ran into another vehicle before crashing into the JCPenney entrance of the mall. Nobody was injured in the incident, and Smith complied with officers.

“In any pursuit, our main objective is to keep everyone safe, we don’t anyone to get hurt, neither suspects, officers, or bystanders,” said Mastin. “In this case, speeds maintained relatively low, and there didn’t appear to be at the time in overall less than one mile and less than [a] five minute pursuit, I don’t feel that the public was in any danger from this.”

Damian Smith

Smith was taken into custody and transported to Sanford Health for a mental health evaluation. He is now in custody at the Beltrami County Jail pending charges.

Smith has a criminal record and pleaded guilty to a 2018 arson case for starting a fire at a Bemidji area house. He was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for that crime.