Racine man gets 52 months for attempting to hit officer with vehicle; Sentence is concurrent to domestic assault case

Published 8:51 am Friday, May 17, 2019

Beckman

Elijah Joel Beckman, 31, of Racine was sentenced to 52 months in the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud for felony second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon on Thursday in Mower County District Court. He received credit for 342 days served.

He was also sentenced to 180 days in jail for gross misdemeanor DWI-operate motor vehicle under the influence of any amount of schedule I/II drugs; however, he received credit for 180 days served.

A charge of felony fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and another charge of felony second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon were dismissed as part of a plea agreement reached on Jan. 29.

Email newsletter signup

Judge Jeffrey Kritzer issued the sentence.

Beckman was arrested on June 8, 2018, after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase that ran for almost 43 miles. Court documents state a deputy attempted to stop a vehicle Beckman was driving because of a damaged tail light. The deputy activated his emergency lights on County Road 1, but Beckman turned north onto 620th Avenue and accelerated.

The chase continued on several roads for 39 minutes, during which time other deputies, a state trooper, and an officer with the Grand Meadow Police Department got involved.

Speeds during the chase reached as high as 96 miles per hour. Law enforcement tried to stop the vehicle with spike strips and pit maneuvers.

During the pursuit, Beckman attempted to ram a deputy’s squad car at County Road 2 and also swerved his vehicle towards a Grand Meadow officer who had laid out spike strips on Highway 16.

A state trooper deployed spike strips on Highway 16 near 690th Avenue, successfully spiking two of the vehicle’s tires. The chase ended on 680th Avenue and Beckman was arrested.

While speaking with Beckman, a deputy observed he had fast body movements, dilated pupils and his hands were twitching. Beckman admitted to ingesting methamphetamine and was taken to the hospital, where he was medically cleared before being taken to jail.

In addition to the sentence, Beckman must pay $666.36 in fees and restitution. His sentence is to be served concurrently with a 29-month prison sentence he received on Sept. 4, 2018, for felony domestic assault.

A review of Beckman’s criminal record shows prior convictions for theft, damage to property, possession of pistol/assault weapon, assault, fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, financial transaction card fraud, check forgery and violating a domestic abuse order for protection.