Bemidji Police Pursuit Results in Arrest

At 6:39 PM on Wednesday, January 9, 2013, a Bemidji Police Officer attempted to stop a 2003 Lincoln Aviator for a traffic violation that occurred on Bemidji Ave in the area of 6th Street NW. The driver of the Lincoln, identified as Jeramie Ray Pilecki (10/6/1976) formerly of Blackduck with current address unknown, attempted to elude the officer by increasing his speed and making abrupt turns onto other streets. The Bemidji Police Officer activated his emergency lights in an attempt to stop the Lincoln, which continued to make unsafe evasive turns and started driving with no lights on.

The Bemidji Police Department pursued the vehicle through residential neighborhoods, at high rates of speed, until the Lincoln left the city northbound on Bemidji Ave N (Co Rd 21). Deputies from the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Department took over the pursuit until its termination at Wildwood Road NE, just south of Peacefull Pines Ln NE, (approximately 7 miles north of Bemidji in Northern Township) where the Lincoln left the roadway and crashed in the ditch. The driver, Pilecki, fled on foot into the woods and was apprehended just south of a housing development on Goldenrod St NE at 6:59 PM.

Pilecki was taken to Sanford Medical Center for evaluation. From there he was transferred to Fargo, ND for treatment. Charges are pending and the case is under further investigation.

Agencies assisting the Bemidji Police Department and the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office included the Minnesota State Patrol, US Border Patrol, Blackduck Police Department, Red Lake Tribal Police, Leech Lake Tribal Police and Bemidji Ambulance. In addition, CodeRED was activated to inform the residents of the area what had transpired.

Captain James Marcotte

Bemidji Police Department

613 Minnesota Ave NW

Bemidji, MN 56601