Back 
A 65-year-old Brainerd woman led half a dozen law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase after fleeing a domestic dispute where she rammed her estranged husband’s car.
No one was injured in the chase, which exceeded speeds of 80 mph at times. During the chase, one officer reported the speeds reached 100 mph. The driver, Judith Johnson, was arrested nearly 11 miles later after weaving an older model car across both lanes of traffic and through red stoplights, Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl said. At one point, Dahl said Johnson nearly T-boned a military vehicle.
Dahl was at the Crow Wing County Highway Department building by the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport when he first learned of the fleeing suspect.
The Brainerd Police Department received a driving complaint call at 2:27 p.m. Friday in the Gilbert Lake area, which apparently began as a domestic situation. Johnson allegedly rammed the vehicle her estranged husband was driving and then fled as a Crow Wing County deputy and Brainerd Police officer responded to the scene.
Johnson reportedly traveled east on Wise Road to Crow Wing County Highway 3, turning south toward Brainerd. A law enforcement officer then followed Johnson as she drove through the Highway 210 intersection by the East Brainerd Mall before heading southeast past Jack’s House bowling alley to the intersections of highways 18 and 25. Johnson then continued down Highway 25 to the south, crashing her car in a ditch when she tried to make the turn onto Thompson Road, law enforcement reported.
Criminal charges are pending. Johnson was arrested for second degree assault with a dangerous weapon and fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle.
About half a dozen squad cars were involved in the incident. Dahl said he was following Johnson with two other units and other officers were converging to try to stop Johnson. Dahl said many people were put in jeopardy by Johnson’s decision to flee, either pedestrians or other drivers who could have been struck as Johnson drove through the red stoplights at the signal intersections.
Comments (12)
Add commentHmmm,
You don't read about a 65 year old woman high speed chase everyday!
The end times must be near
I dont know how else one would explain this, and many others like it lately. Well, that and too many cop shows on TV giving criminals their 120 seconds of fame.
High Speed Chase
Being close to this situation, the only way to explain it is, it's a classic example of domestic abuse where the female (and a very intelligent one) is the abuser through control and mental abuse. The husband has finally found the support to break away from the situation and the spouse has found herself losing control of the situation and cannot deal with it. This is a very common situation in our society but unfortunately unless something like this happens, it isn't reported as often as women who are abused. It is an unfortunate situation and I hope justice prevails.
r u ready
go granny go granny go!
Totally dangerous
I witnessed this chase and was nearly hit by this women as she was going east out of Brainerd. She was very very lucky she did not hurt or kill either herself or someone else. I hope the courts throw the book at her for the total disregard she had for the safety of others. She won't be smiling when the court is finished with her.
Above the law
The dispatch either wasn't aware of or failed to mention that this lady had an Order of Protection against her (restraining order) at the time. Apparently she feels she is above the law. I also hope they throw the book at her. Go granny? She did go -----to jail.
Thank law enforcement
I think, we in the community owe the local law enforcement a big thank you. We sometimes forget that they put their life on the line daily to protect us from dangerous and reckless people like this lady. In their effort to stop her and prevent her from injuring or killng herself or other innocent people, they put their life on the line. I hope we appreciate them and thank them.
Next time I see an officer at a local coffee shop or resturant, I am picking up the tab for him. Just a small thing I can do for what they do for us.
east?
The report says she was heading south out of brained...
Read a little more carefully
Read the article again, it explains the route she took !!! The article says she came from the Gilbert Lake area, down Highway 3, past the East Brainerd Mall, across Highway 210, and onto Highway 25 going past Jacks House. Yes she did ultimately ended going south on Highway 25, but comeing out of Brainerd she was going east towards the intersection of Highays 18 and 25. When she almost hit me she was just coming out of Brainerd, going on Highway 25, crossing the railroad bridge before you get to Jacks House. I had just turned onto Highway 25 from 28th street and if I had been literly a second later she would have nailed me broadside. As it was she was weaving in and out of traffic at a high rate of speed and totally disregarding everyones safety.
hell hath no fury like a woman scorned
It seems to me that most are overlooking or don't know that this woman's husband was allegedly
cheating on her awhile back. Maybe she just snapped. Nonetheless, it was a very dangerous situation she put herself and others in. I think she needs help. I've known her for over 25 years and this really shocked me! I'm so thankful that nobody was hurt.
Overlooking
The reason why she did this is being overlooked because there is no way to justify what she did. The reason doesn't matter to the public or the police that had to chase her down. It certainly wouldn't excuse a man in a situation where the woman cheated on him. This isn't some country song, this is real life. You can't ram your ex husband's vehicle and lead police on a high speed chase and not be held accountable. I don't mean to be unfriendly, but I can't excuse that kind of behavior, whatever the reason.
totally agree with nexxhexxon!
I totally agree with you, nexx! There is no excuse for this behavior. I was just trying to speculate as to the reason for her actions. This in no way excuses the behavior. After she rammed her husband's vehicle she should have stayed right there and faced the music. She put so many lives in danger,especially at that time of day! It's nothing short of a miracle that no one was hurt. She deserves to be punished for her actions but she also must need some serious help.