Teen pleads guilty to leading police chase

Published 6:40 am Friday, December 18, 2009

A Burnsville, Minn., teen could face up to one year in jail after he pleaded guilty Thursday to leading police on a 16-block chase through Austin.

Manachan Omot Talian, 18, awaits a May sentencing date on one count of fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, a felony, as well as a driving under the influence charge.

According to a criminal complaint, an officer on routine patrol saw Talian’s tan Chevrolet Impala, which was listed in relation to a recent theft at Apollo Liquor, on Dec. 7.

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The officer initiated a traffic stop, but Talian drove off on Oakland Avenue West, going about 40 mph. He eventually turned onto 31st Street Southwest and attempted to drive into a parking spot at Mandolin Place Apartments, but the officer cut him off.

Talian and three other passengers were all cuffed. The driver, who had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, said he and his friends were “at a party” and that they convinced him to flee police.

Talian said he was the only sober one so he drove, but he later admitted to driving drunk. He also registered a .09 blood-alcohol level, which is over the legal limit for 21-year-old drivers.

Records indicate that Talian’s driving status was “suspended” at the time of the incident.