On June 5, 2026 Officer Morales was on routine patrol in the City of Rochester, Minnesota when she observed a vehicle parked facing westbound with its hazard lights on bearing Iowa license plate [PLATE REDACTED] parked in front of Groome Transportation at [ADDRESS REDACTED] NW. Officer Morales received an ALPR notification for the vehicle indicating that it had been reported stolen. Officer Morales approached the unoccupied vehicle which was full of miscellaneous property. After approximately 5 minutes on scene a male and a female walked up to the vehicle.
Officer Morales spoke with the male, identified as LOGAN NATHANIEL JOHNSON, [DOB REDACTED]. Johnson stated that he had gotten the vehicle from a friend (JP). He knew that the registered owner of the vehicle was possibly someone named Zach. He met JP in Spring Valley on June 4, 2026 at approximately 1200 hours and JP gave him the keys for the vehicle. Johnson stated that he had the keys in his pocket. He drove the vehicle from Spring Valley to Rochester and it ran out of gas. He had parked the vehicle approximately 5 minutes prior to law enforcement arriving.
He was supposed to pay Jordan $100 a week for the vehicle. During the conversation he stated that he did not know the registered owner but that JP advised him he was in the process of owning the vehicle. He has not paid JP for the vehicle. He contacts JP through Facebook messenger. He had reached out to a few friends for a possible vehicle he could utilize. JP responded back to him almost immediately. JP was "trying to buy the vehicle." JP did not mention the bill of sale or vehicle title. Johnson stated "I don't know where Jordan took it from." When questioned about knowing the vehicle was stolen he said "I don't know if I would put it like that." Officer Ramthun spoke with the female who had been a passenger in the vehicle, and she stated that Johnson had picked her up at Main Street Stay and they went to get a Lime scooter.
They then went to McDonald's and then Kwik Trip and then started driving around. Johnson told her that he had bought the vehicle that day, and that he had not had a vehicle for about a month after crashing his last one. Officer Morales contacted the Osage, Iowa police department to advise the vehicle had been recovered. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: YOU MUST APPEAR FOR EVERY COURT HEARING REGARDING THIS CASE. FAILURE TO APPEAR FOR COURT IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE AND MAY RESULT IN ADDITIONAL CRIMINAL CHARGES BEING IMPOSED AND PUNISHED AS PROVIDED IN MINNESOTA STATUTES SECTION 609.49.
