Authorities ID man involved in fatal pursuit

BEMIDJI -- Authorities have identified a Bemidji man who led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit Monday that ended in his death.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner identified the man as Jared Robert Nash, 28, of Bemidji, who died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to a release from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which is investigating the case.

Nash was alone in the vehicle, authorities said.

According to the BCA, law enforcement had been attempting to locate Nash because of another pursuit Friday when officers tried to pull him over for driving after cancellation of his license. Officers discontinued Friday’s chase because they knew who the suspect was and would attempt a later arrest, the release said.

However, just before 2 p.m. Monday, a Minnesota State Patrol trooper spotted Nash’s vehicle traveling southbound on County Road 23 in excess of 100 mph, the release said. Nash eluded the trooper, but a Leech Lake Tribal Police Department officer and Cass County Sheriff’s Office deputies later spotted his vehicle at 3:17 p.m. heading west on U.S. Highway 2 near Norway Beach in Cass County, again at a high rate of speed, according to the release.

The chase continued along Highway 2 and several other agencies joined in the pursuit, which reached in excess of 100 mph. According to the BCA, officers made phone contact with Nash to try to get him to stop and they learned he had a gun in the vehicle. As Nash was headed toward a populated area, officers deployed spike strips to stop him. Nash hit the strips on Highway 2, headed west on Division Street in Bemidji and came to a stop near Division Street and Hidden Trail Court, the release said.

The BCA said, according to the preliminary investigation, law enforcement officers shouted commands for Nash to exit his vehicle, after which they heard a single gunshot. Nash was pronounced dead at the scene, the release said. The initial investigation indicates no officers fired their weapons.

Agencies involved in the pursuit included the Cass, Beltrami and Hubbard County sheriff’s offices, the Bemidji Police Department, the Leech Lake Tribal Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol and members of the Safe Trails Task Force. Beltrami Ambulance assisted at the scene, the release said.

Once the BCA completes its investigation, the Beltrami County Attorney’s Office will review the findings.