Avion Lee Hamer

On March 18, 2026, an officer was on routine patrol in the city of Apple Valley, which is within Dakota County, when he observed a black SUV with no rear license plate. The officer followed the vehicle for a time before activating his squad vehicle’s emergency lights and attempting to pull the vehicle over in the area of Cedar Avenue and 140th Street West. The SUV did not stop for the officer’s emergency lights and continued to travel at a high rate of speed. The officer then attempted to catch up with the vehicle and used his squad’s emergency siren.

The SUV then slowed down, but still did not stop. The officer continued to follow and attempt to pull over the SUV as it traveled north on Cedar Avenue towards interstate 35E. The SUV still did not stop or yield for the officer, but instead again began to decelerate slowly. The SUV then began driving on interstate 35E and as it did so, failed to maintain its lane of travel, driving between the right and left lanes. Suddenly the SUV turned up the ramp that led from interstate 35E to Cliff Road, against the flow of traffic.

The driver of the SUV then exited the vehicle and began to run. The driver did not put the vehicle in park, and it began to roll back towards the officer’s squad car and had to be put into park by the officer. The driver was apprehended by officers a short time later and was identified as Avion Lee Hamer [DOB REDACTED], hereinafter “Defendant.” While detained Defendant stated without prompting that he had attempted to flee from the officer, and that he had fled from the officer because the vehicle he was driving was stolen and there were drugs inside of it.

Dispatch subsequently confirmed that the vehicle Defendant was driving was in fact stolen.