Man who led authorities on hours-long chase convicted of false imprisonment, stalking

A 27-year-old Rochester man who led police on a five-hour pursuit while holding his ex-girlfriend against her will was sentenced Thursday in Mower County Court.

Zachary Charles Rahlf, 27, was convicted on two charges: stalking, a gross misdemeanor, and false imprisonment, a felony. He was sentenced to 120 total days in the Mower County jail, given credit for 54 already served and is allowed 60 days for work release. He must either pay a $1,000 fine or serve 125 hours of community service, as well.

According to the court complaint, the incident started about 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 11, when Rahlf and his ex-girlfriend, 22-year-old Jessica Piland, met at Lake Geo Travel Plaza in Dexter to exchange belongings. According to records, Piland’s friend told police Rahlf had recently broken some of Piland’s teeth in a domestic assault.

That same friend had driven Piland to meet Rahlf in Dexter, according to court documents. The friend told officers Piland was speaking to Rahlf on the driver’s side of Rahlf’s vehicle when he opened his door and pulled Piland in.

However, Rahlf told police Piland was trying to retrieve belongings from the passenger side when Piland’s friend approached the vehicle, which scared Rahlf, so he pulled Piland into the car while driving away so Piland wouldn’t get hurt, according to the complaint.

Rahlf allegedly led police through Mower, Dodge, Steele and Olmsted counties until he was finally arrested in Rochester at about 10 p.m. Surveillance tapes obtained from Kwik Trip in Owatonna show Rahlf and Piland getting gasoline and buying pizza. Rahlf also made a phone call from the gas station pay phone, and the two stopped at Hy-Vee so Piland could use the bathroom.

According to the court complaint, Piland told Sheriff Terese Amazi she did not try to escape because there would be “hell to pay.”

Rahlf dropped Piland off at her parents’ house in Kasson just after 9 p.m., and officers arrested Rahlf that evening at his father’s house, according to the court complaint.

The complaint states that Rahlf has also been convicted seven previous times for driving without a valid license.

—Trey Mewes and Amanda Lillie contributed to this report.

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