A Duluth man is facing multiple charges after a police stop Wednesday led to a crash and a police chase with canine officers.
Nicolas Torres Quintero of River Summit Trail was initially stopped by a Duluth police officer over a possible seat belt violation, according to the Duluth police incident report.
The arresting officer was patrolling a subdivision for traffic offenses and suspicious activity when he noticed a vehicle’s driver was not wearing a seat belt. The officer then ran a license check and found that the tag had multiple returns for traffic and drug offenses, the incident report said.
After stopping the vehicle, the officer ran a driver’s license check, and the driver then started the ignition. After the officer told the driver, “Don’t do it,” the driver drove from the scene.
A pursuit of about a half-mile ensued. The officer lost track of the vehicle, but a driver at an intersection pointed down Albion Farm Road. After calling off the chase, the officer heard a loud booming sound. The officer eventually found the suspect’s vehicle listing on its side atop a power box. However, the suspect was not located then.
The officer had other responding officers set up a perimeter and had canines set up a track. The suspect was eventually found on a side street and taken into custody.
Quintero told the officer that he was scared and wasn’t thinking, according to the report.
Charges are felony fleeing police or roadblock, and an adult safety belt violation.
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