On the morning of April 20, 2025, St. Paul Police patrol officers were working to locate an individual who was wanted in relation to a felony threats of violence investigation for threatening to shoot his ex-girlfriend. The suspect had ties to an address on Stryker Avenue in the city of St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota. Additional information gathered by officers as part of their investigation was that the suspect had made a recent public social media post showing him inside a gray Stingray Corvette.
Additionally, as officers were reviewing the matter, a call came in for the same the address on Stryker requesting assistance with individuals there who were supposed to move out. As squad 335 prepared to respond to the Stryker address, dispatch updated the information to say that a gray Corvette had left the address. Additional updates advised the vehicle was being tracked on camera, and was heading northbound on Wabasha Avenue at Plato Avenue. Squad 335 caught up to the Corvette at Wabasha and 4th Street, and attempted a traffic stop to investigate.
The vehicle began to pull away northbound. Despite the squad's active lights and sirens, the Corvette continued to drive away and fled through downtown St. Paul streets, including St. Peter Street, West 7th Street, and Kellogg Boulevard. Officers stopped pursuing at University Avenue and Marion Street, because the vehicle continued to flee and was no longer within sight. The fleeing vehicle was, however, continuously monitored by CCTV Cameras, and Ramsey County Sheriff’s Deputies noticed the vehicle park on Jackson Street near Maryland Avenue.
Squad 335 caught up to the location, and witnessed the driver walking away from the Corvette. As the officers exited their squad, the Corvette’s driver began running away from them. They quickly caught her in the back yard she'd parked in front of, and arrested her for felony fleeing in motor vehicle and misdemeanor fleeing on foot. The driver turned out not to be the suspect from the incident they had originally been investigating. The driver was identified as Ashley Arlena Stokes, [DOB redacted], from the driver’s license that was in her pocket.
Her driving status was canceled – inimical to public safety. Her license was cancelled March 14, 2023, and she reasonably should have known her status because she is also pending trial on for driving after cancellation - inimical to public safety in Ramsey County court file ••-CR-••-•••• (offense date 8/26/2025).
