A man who allegedly fled from a sheriff’s deputy while driving a stolen pickup appeared on Thursday in Mower County District Court.

Stanley Edgar Miller, 64, of Albert Lea was charged with felony theft-taking/driving a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent, felony fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and misdemeanor driving after revocation of his license.

According to the court complaint, a Mower County Sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop a 2000 Dodge Ram pick-up truck at 5:58 p.m. on Tuesday along Fourth Street Northwest after he observed it running a stop light at the intersection of the Interstate 90 exit ramp. The truck refused to stop and the deputy gave chase.

The chase reached speeds of 40 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone before the driver pulled over on 10th Avenue Northwest, according to the complaint. Miller exited the truck with his hands up. While he was being detained, he told the deputy, “I just didn’t want their truck to get towed.” When asked why he fled, Miller said, “Because I don’t have a license.” Dispatch told the deputy Miller’s license was revoked and that he had two warrants for his arrest.

Back-up officers searched the truck and found a green bag with four syringes inside, according to the complaint. They had the truck towed and transported Miller to the Mower County Jail.

The complaint states that the deputy contacted the truck’s owner who said that she was familiar with Miller but had not given him permission to use the truck. She said the truck was at her residence in the 1000 block of Fifth Street Northwest when she returned home at 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday. She said an extra set of keys might have been in the door panel.

The deputy then spoke to Miller, who said he didn’t stop because he didn’t want to “get caught because of the warrants,” the complaint said. He said the victim’s boyfriend gave him permission to use the truck and that he got the keys from her garage.