On April 4, 2026, Minneapolis police responded to a call involving auto theft where the victim [NAME REDACTED] during the commission of the car being taken from them in the area of [ADDRESS REDACTED] North in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota. This call came around 8:05 A.M. And was reported at approximately 8:29 A.M. Initial information was that A.M., Victim herein, opened the car door in an attempt to remove the suspect from the driver’s seat and was punched by the suspect. The vehicle then took off and threw Victim [NAME REDACTED]. The vehicle was a rental vehicle from Hertz and was Nissan Altima with Oklahoma plates.
The vehicle was located shortly thereafter by the Minnesota State Patrol around 8:44am on southbound I35W in south Minneapolis where the vehicle was driving at approximately 95 miles per hour on the interstate. The trooper attempted to catch up to the vehicle and stop the vehicle. While following the vehicle, the trooper observed the vehicle straddling multiple lanes and activated emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop near 66th Street. Upon activation of the emergency lights, the driver moved into the left lane and suddenly fled at a high rate of speed.
The trooper pursued the vehicle and the vehicle continued to drive at high speeds and erratically. The vehicle eventually got onto Highway 13 in Burnsville and Quentin Avenue. At this time, the trooper terminated the pursuit. Dispatch continued to monitor the vehicle using freeway cameras and relayed direction of travel back towards Minneapolis in the area I-94 and West Broadway. At approximately 9:27 A.M., Minneapolis police picked up the track of the vehicle and located it swerving and driving erratically still.
Minneapolis police observed the driver wearing a white puffy jacket and black mask. The suspect vehicle made a hard turn westbound 21st Avenue North from Emerson Avenue. Police proceeded to go northbound in the alley of the 2100 block of Emerson Avenue to Fremont Avenue. Police observed a male in a white puffy jacket with black facemask emerge from the west side of the alley mid-block. This appeared to be the same person police observed driving the stolen car. The male in the white jacket was actually in the process of pulling down his facemask as he walked towards police in the alley but saw the squad car and put his mask back up and immediately changed his direction of travel to eastbound through the yards.
The stolen vehicle was found on the 2100 of Fremont Avenue North in the alley. Police then located the driver of the vehicle near US Bank at 21st and Emerson Avenue and arrested him. The suspect was identified as SAMUEL SANTIAGO RIASCO [DOB REDACTED], Defendant herein. Prior to being arrested, Defendant appeared to be dropping items on the ground. These items ranged from credit cards, ID's, gift cards and a set of car keys. Some of the keys appeared to be ones that could be purchased online and programmed to a vehicle with proper equipment.
