Mackenzie Lynn Tahtinen

M., a Winona Police Officer (“Officer”) was on routine patrol near the area of 9th Street and Grand Street/Wilson Street in the City and County of Winona, Minnesota, when he observed a vehicle fail to signal its turn 100 feet before it turned northbound onto Huff Street. Officer radioed dispatch his location and called out a traffic stop while activating his overhead emergency lights. The vehicle signaled to turn onto westbound 8th Street from Huff Street. The vehicle made no attempt to pull over but instead accelerated.

Officer then activated his siren. The vehicle then turned northbound onto Harriet Street, failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of 7th Street and Harriet Street, then turned westbound onto 6th Street. The vehicle failed to stop at the intersection of 7th Street and Harriet Street. The vehicle then accelerated west on 6th Street. Once the vehicle was westbound on 5th Street, Officer’s radar got a reading that the vehicle was traveling at 80 miles per hour. It maintained this speed until it turned westbound onto 5th Street and Junction Street intersection.

As Officer pulled onto West 5th Street, Officer observed the vehicle pull into the parking lot of a local business. Officer observed the vehicle had struck the building with its front bumper facing north. The building and the vehicle suffered damage. Officer pulled up near the driver’s side window and observed the driver to be a white female. Driver was later identified as Mackenzie Lynn Tahtinen, [DOB REDACTED] (“Defendant”). The pursuit covered the distance of approximately 2.2 miles. After hitting the building, Defendant reversed the vehicle and attempted to flee again but struck the building, this time with its passenger side.

It was clear to Officer that the Defendant was making no attempt to surrender and was still actively attempting to escape. Officer opened the door to his car and drew his department issued firearm and ordered Defendant to stop the vehicle multiple times. The vehicle accelerated and struck Officer’s patrol car door while in reverse and sent the door flying into Officer’s knee. Defendant turned the vehicle 180 degrees around and was positioned parallel and immediately adjacent to the back wall of the building.

Defendant still had the vehicle in gear and started to accelerate aggressively towards Officer who was standing in the space between his open squad car door and the frame of his vehicle. Officer feared for his life or the chance of sustaining great bodily harm and he retreated to the safety of his vehicle to prevent himself from being struck. Defendant accelerated again and almost struck Officer before crashing into the building 3 85-CR-26-424 Filed in District Court State of Minnesota 3/19/2026 a third time which disabled the vehicle.

Defendant then exited the vehicle and fled on foot westbound. More Officers had arrived on scene. Officers engaged in a foot pursuit and caught Defendant by escorting her to the ground/snowbank. Officers told Defendant she was under arrest. While Officers attempted to place Defendant into handcuffs, Defendant tensed up and pulled her arms away. After Defendant was secured, Officers conducted a search which yielded nothing of significance. During this time, Defendant made several spontaneous utterances of, “I’m sorry.” “You guys scared the [expletive] out of me.” “I have a warrant and am scared.” “I have warrants and don’t want to go to jail.” Defendant was transported to Winona Health for evaluation.