RURAL EMMET COUNTY, IOWA – An Arizona man allegedly not afraid to shoot at police in the middle of a crime spree in Iowa and Minnesota was caught with plenty of fentanyl, sleeping in a stolen pickup truck in this desolate location.
The investigation into a suspicious vehicle earlier this month resulted in the arrest of an Arizona man on multiple charges in rural Emmet County.
According to Emmet County Sheriff Mike Martens, on July 1st at 11:48pm the sheriffâs office received a report of a pickup truck and boat trailer that were parked on the roadway approximately ½ mile south of Armstrong in the 1700 block of 550th Avenue.
A sheriffâs deputy arrived on scene approximately 6 minutes later and discovered a male sleeping in the vehicle.
Upon investigation at the scene by the sheriffâs office, the driver eventually identified as Benjamin Johnson, age 29 of Buckeye, Arizona advised the deputy that he had run out of fuel.
As the investigation continued it was determined that the pickup truck had been stolen from a dealership in Goodhue County, Minnesota and the boat and trailer were stolen from Emmetsburg.
Johnson was placed under arrest at the scene and then transported to the Emmet County Jail for booking.
Further investigation into the event determined that Johnson was a suspect in a high-speed pursuit with shots fired in the Red Wing, Minnesota area recently involving the Red Wing Police Department, Lake City Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol, Wabasha and Pierce County Sheriffâs Offices where the vehicle he was driving was determined stolen from Arizona. The suspect fled the area on foot after the vehicle was disabled. The suspect then committed burglaries to a business and church in that same area.
As the investigation continued a search warrant was executed on the stolen pickup that was in custody in the Emmet County incident.
During the search of the vehicle, items from the alleged burglaries in Minnesota were recovered as well as drug paraphernalia and what has been identified as a substance in excess of 25 grams of Fentanyl.
As a result of the investigation Johnson remains in custody in the Emmet County Jail and charged with: Two counts of theft in the 1st degree, a class (C) felony each, Providing false identification information to a peace officer a (simple misdemeanor), Possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver (Fentanyl) a class (B) felony, Possession of drug paraphernalia and No driverâs license, each a simple misdemeanor.
The matter remains under investigation by both the Emmet County Sheriffâs Office and Minnesota authorities.
