Your complainant is a Deputy with the Steele County Sheriff's Office. Investigation has revealed that on August 29, 2025 at approximately 1:09 A.M., Deputy Holm was on routine patrol in a fully marked squad car and westbound in the 8000 block of Crane Creek Road, Steele County, Minnesota. Deputy Holm observed a vehicle traveling eastbound on Crane Creek Road approaching his squad car with high beams illuminated and the vehicle failed to dim the high beams as it passed his squad car. Deputy Holm activated his rear lights as he turned around to catch-up and attempt to stop the vehicle.
As Deputy Holm was catching up to the vehicle, he activated his squad full emergency lights. The vehicle did not appear to slow down and continued eastbound on Crane Creek Road. At this point, Deputy Holm activated his squad sirens as well. Deputy Holm advised Dispatch he had a vehicle not stopping with speeds around 120 mph and eastbound on Crane Creek Road, initiating a vehicle pursuit around the 6000 block. At multiple points between the 6000 block and 4000 block of Crane Creek, the vehicle shut its headlights and taillights off in an attempt to "blackout" as Deputy Holm was attempting to stop the vehicle.
The pursuit continued eastbound on Crane Creek Road, passing 39th Avenue NW and continuing into the Owatonna city limits where Deputy Holm was able to identified the vehicle as a blue Ford Fusion with rear end damage. The vehicle ran the red light at 24th Avenue NW. During this time, Deputy Holm heard an Owatonna Police officer advised he had stop sticks set up at Hoffman under I-35. Deputy Holm continued to pursue the vehicle past Officer Martin and heard him via radio "advise of a good stop stick deployment". The vehicle then went eastbound into the westbound lanes of Hoffman before going into the ditch and onto the frontage road and north on Brady Avenue then back out toward State Avenue.
Deputy Holm was able to positively identify the Minnesota license plate number as HMB260 shortly after the brake check. The vehicle then took off again and went the wrong way around the roundabout at State Avenue/26th Street. Owatonna Police took over the pursuit at this time where it continued northbound onto I-35. Deputy Holm continued northbound on I-35 until the vehicle came to a stop at mile marker 46. Deputy Holm assisted with the stop and taking the driver, identified as Zachary Michael Wellentin, [DOB REDACTED], into custody.
Deputy Holm then walked Wellentin to his squad car where he made an exited utterance about this vehicle only going 105 mph. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: Pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 609.49 intentional failure to appear for duly scheduled court appearances may result in additional criminal charges in addition to any arrest warrant that may otherwise be issued by the Court.
