A suspected drunken driver fled police early Sunday in Coon Rapids and fatally crashed into a brick sign in neighboring Blaine, authorities said.
The incident began about 1:20 a.m. near Northdale and Foley boulevards, when an officer saw the motorist "driving recklessly," Coon Rapids police said in a statement.
As the officer began to follow the vehicle, the driver sped away east on Northdale "well above the posted limit," the statement continued. The officer activated his emergency lights, hoping to prompt the suspect to stop.
Instead, the driver ran a red light at Northdale and University Avenue, then struck a large brick "City of Blaine" sign on the northeast corner of the intersection, about 1.5 miles from where the pursuit began.
The motorist, 28 years old and from Coon Rapids, was dead at the scene, police said. His identity has yet to be released.
"Alcohol is suspected to be a factor," the police statement read.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
