Wanted Felon Arrested After Widespread Search In Lakeville

May 16

A suspect with multiple felony warrants was taken into custody Thursday after an hours-long manhunt involving Lakeville Police and multiple assisting agencies.

Just after 1:15 p.m. on May 15, officers responded to Ardmor Village on the 20900 block of Cedar Avenue after receiving a tip that 24-year-old Erik Arreola Morales was in the area.

LAKEVILLE: Officers are searching for a male suspect who fled on foot after a vehicle pursuit. Police began pursuing the stolen vehicle around 1:15 p.m., driven by a suspect with felony warrants and who reportedly fled from police yesterday. The suspect allegedly rammed at least… pic.twitter.com/SbG3zDZJTZ
— MN CRIME (@MN_CRIME) May 15, 2025

Morales was known to officers from recent encounters and had previously fled law enforcement in a vehicle, Lakeville police say.

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As officers arrived in the area, Morales fled in a stolen vehicle, striking at least two squad cars in the process. The vehicle was later found abandoned in a field west of Cedar Avenue near 190th Street, where police determined Morales had fled on foot. There were no injuries to officers reported.

A perimeter was quickly established and officers launched an extensive search using K-9 teams, a drone unit and a Minnesota State Patrol helicopter. A shelter-in-place alert was issued for residents in the immediate area through Dakota 911 while the search continued.

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By around 4 p.m., Morales had not been located and the perimeter was released. The shelter-in-place alert was canceled shortly afterward, though officials later noted the cancellation message may have been sent to a wider audience than intended. The city is working with Dakota 911 to determine what happened.

Around 5 p.m., a resident in the 19200 block of Harappa Avenue called 911 to report someone matching Morales’ description hiding on their porch. Officers responded and took him into custody without further incident.

Morales was booked into the Dakota County Jail on probable cause for multiple felony charges, including fourth-degree assault of a peace officer, fleeing police in a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property and first-degree damage to property. Additional charges include fleeing on foot, giving a false name to law enforcement and multiple traffic violations.

Morales also has outstanding felony warrants from Dakota County including a probation violation, with separate fleeing and drug possession cases in Hennepin County.

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