On or about November 8, 2025, the Minnesota State Patrol and Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call regarding a vehicle driving northbound in the southbound lanes on US 169 in Milaca, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota. Dispatch advised the suspect vehicle had gone into the ditch at the Hairy Mosquito and struck another vehicle. Deputies observed the suspect vehicle leave the area and get back on the highway traveling south. Deputies got behind the vehicle, with their emergency lights and sirens activated.
Deputies observed the vehicle was damaged, had lost a tire, and was smoking. The vehicle continued traveling south at roughly 40-55 miles per hour and did not stop. A short distance later, the vehicle came to a stop off of the roadway and into the ditch. Upon arrival at the scene, Troopers gave the driver multiple commands to exit the vehicle, to which the driver stated he could not. Troopers instructed the driver to put his hands out the window, and the driver complied but continued to put his hands back in the vehicle.
Troopers approached the vehicle to remove the driver. The driver, and sole occupant, of the vehicle was identified as FRED RICHARD MUSSEHL [DOB REDACTED]. Troopers observed that MUSSEHL had blood on his face and shirt and appeared to still be bleeding. EMS was requested to the scene. After getting close to MUSSEHL, Troopers noticed a strong odor of alcohol emitting from his person as he spoke. MUSSEHL had a very difficult time getting out of the vehicle. Troopers asked MUSSEHL if he had drank the bar out of alcohol tonight and MUSSEHL replied, “I tried to”. MUSSEHL was placed in handcuffs and escorted back to the squad cars.
Troopers observed MUSSEHL’s vehicle was missing both the front and rear bumper. Troopers spoke to the reporting parties, fully identified in reports, who stated they were traveling southbound on Highway 169 when they saw headlights in the oncoming lane. They swerved out of the way and observed other vehicles swerve out of the way to avoid the wrong-way vehicle. They turned around and continued following the vehicle toward a local bar, where the vehicle went into the ditch, went airborne, and hit a parked car before heading down the hill into the ditch on US 169. The vehicle then stopped on US 169, facing the wrong way, and made a U-turn on US 169 heading southbound.
The individuals continued to follow the vehicle and watched a Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Office squad car, with emergency lights activated, attempt to stop the vehicle and watched the vehicle continue to drive for approximately one mile before finally stopping. Troopers then responded to the area of the local bar, where they observed fluid tracks on the roadway from the vehicle as well as tracks leading from the roadway, through the ditch, and up the hill into the parking lot. The fluid tracks then showed the vehicle had performed a U-turn on 169 and continued southbound.
