Chase suspect gets probation, community serivce

Published 10:38 am Monday, February 6, 2017

 Edgar Fernando Rodriguez

Edgar Fernando Rodriguez

The 26-year-old who led Austin police officers on a high-speed chase on April 20, 2016, and was shot at and injured by an Austin officer during the ordeal has been sentenced to supervised probation.

Edgar Fernando Rodriguez of Austin was sentenced Friday in Mower County District Court to five years of probation and 72 hours of community service for first-degree damage to property and fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, both felonies.

At about 8:10 p.m. on April 20, 2016, dispatch received a 911 call from a citizen who reported bad driving by a male in a silver car, according to court records.

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The person said he confronted the driver and thought the driver was under the influence. The person added Rodriguez was being belligerent toward him.

He told police Rodriguez was walking toward a residence in the 2000 block of Fourth Avenue Northeast. Officers responded to the area, but in the 1900 block of Oakland Avenue East, an officer clocked a gray vehicle, later identified to be a silver Mercedes sedan, driving at about 72 mph in a 30 mph zone.

The officer pursued the Mercedes through residential streets. Another Austin police officer and Mower County Deputy Sheriff joined the pursuit, which lasted three minutes with speeds well above the posted speed limit, according to court records.

The pursuit continued eastbound on Fifth Avenue Northeast until the vehicle stopped at the intersection of 19th Street and Fifth Avenue Northeast.

As the first officer was getting out of his squad car, the Mercedes backed up and rammed two squad cars. Then, Officer Adam Scott fired at the vehicle, but it took off southbound on 19th Street Northeast. The other officer followed the Mercedes, which drove one block before turning eastbound.

Officers apprehended Rodriguez and found a BB/pellet gun on him.

Rodriguez sustained an injury to his left hand, believed to be caused by a gun shot. He was transported to Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin and later by ambulance to St. Marys in Rochester. He was later released to the Mower County Jail.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigated the incident.