A brief police pursuit in Columbia Heights ended early Tuesday with the fleeing motorist crashing a stolen car near a lake and dying, authorities said.
The chase began about 12:40 a.m. on Arthur Street, where two patrol officers in separate squad cars saw the car being driven recklessly, Police Chief Scott Nadeau said.
When the officers turned to pursue the vehicle, the driver sped away, Nadeau added. The officers were in pursuit for about four blocks, with their lights and sirens activated in the final moments, the chief said. The car went down a steep ravine and struck a tree near the edge of Hart Lake, Nadeau said. The driver, a 32-year-old man from Minneapolis, was thrown into the water.
"The officers jumped in and pulled him out, but they were unable to resuscitate him," the chief said.
The chief said that the driver, whose identity has not been released, had a history of stealing vehicles.
PAUL WALSH
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