On November 4, 2025, at approximately 2052 hours, Washington County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a motor vehicle crash at Highway 36 and Interstate 694. Preliminary information was that the vehicle was off the road and there were unknown injuries. Deputy Schommer responded to the scene and saw a Nissan Maxima on the side of the road. The vehicle was empty and the airbags had been deployed. No persons were on the scene at that time. Deputies discovered that the registered owner of the vehicle was ROBERT ELLIS HASTINGS, JR. [DOB REDACTED]. Deputies located a photograph of Hastings and learned that he was on federal supervised release.
Deputy Schommer and Deputy Palmer drove to the nearby Fleet Farm gas station, to see if they could locate persons involved in the crash at that location. They arrived at the gas station and observed it was closed. Dispatch stated the 911 caller's phone was pinging 8 meters from the gas station. Deputy Schommer drove around the corner and observed a large RV, not in a parking spot. Deputy Schommer got out of the squad car and walked toward the RV. At that time, a person, later identified as Hastings, exited the RV. Hastings said that he had called to report his vehicle, the Maxima, was stolen.
When Deputy Schommer asked him how his vehicle ended up in the ditch, Hastings said it was stolen from "over there" (pointing west). Deputy Schommer attempted to ask some clarifying questions and Hastings became agitated and said he wanted to speak to someone else. Deputy Schommer believed that this behavior was not normal for someone who wanted to report his vehicle stolen. In the meantime, Deputy Palmer had entered the RV to attempt to identify one of Hastings' companions, A. E. R. (an adult male fully identified in law enforcement reports), who was also on the scene.
Hastings walked away from Deputy Schommer and told him that Deputy Palmer needed to exit his RV. Hastings appeared very nervous and/or anxious about something. Deputy Palmer advised Hastings that he was being detained and could not go back into the RV. Hastings asked whether he was under arrest or not and disregarded Deputy Palmer's commands. Deputy Schommer grabbed Hastings as he tried to get back into the RV and put him in handcuffs to further detain him. Hastings remained with State Troopers, as Deputy Schommer went to speak with a third party on the scene, J. M. S., an adult female fully identified in law enforcement reports.
J. M. S. Was smoking a cigarette and appeared nervous and scared. Deputy Schommer encouraged J. M. S. To be truthful about what had occurred that night. J. M. S. Said that Hastings and driven her and A. E. R. To Wisconsin in the Nissan Maxima earlier that night and had purchased the RV there. As they traveled back to Minnesota, Hastings was driving the RV with A. E. R. As a passenger, and J. M. S. Was driving the Nissan Maxima. J. M. S. Stated she blacked out and went off the road. A concerned citizen had picked her up and she made arrangements with Hastings to meet him and A. E. R. At the Fleet Farm gas station.
