2 arrested after crash in stolen car

LITTLE FALLS - Two Brainerd area men were arrested after fleeing from a stolen vehicle that had collided with a semi Tuesday morning on Highway 10 near Morrison County Road 202 in Scandia Valley Township, the Morrison County Sheriff's Department reported Wednesday.

About 7:45 a.m. sheriff's deputies and State Patrol troopers responded to a crash with injuries on Highway 10 involving a vehicle that had struck the rear of a semi-trailer.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with April Miles, 21, Wadena, and Cassandra Koep, 21, Henning, both of whom complained of injuries and said the two men in the front seats fled the scene on foot. None of the four occupants of the vehicle appeared to have suffered serious injuries in the crash, Morrison County Sheriff Michel Wetzel said in a news release.

The investigation into the crash revealed the driver and front seat passenger who fled may have stolen the vehicle, Wetzel said.

Sheriff's deputies, the State Patrol and a K-9 unit from the Little Falls Police Department searched for the suspects, who were spotted by deputies walking across a field two miles north of the crash site.

As officers approached the area, the men fled into a wooded area, which was quickly surrounded by officers. Both men walked out of the woods and surrendered. Dylan David LaPointe, also known as Dylan David Doust, 19, and Christopher Charles Ames, 20, both of the Brainerd area, were arrested at the scene without incident.

After questioning by investigators with the sheriff's department and the State Patrol, Ames admitted to having stolen the vehicle from Crosby, the sheriff's department reported, and LaPointe admitted to breaking into numerous vehicles in Crosby and stealing items, including a GPS unit and a credit card. LaPointe also admitted that both men drove the vehicle to Wadena where they picked up Koep and Miles. While in the Wadena area, LaPointe admitted to using the stolen credit card at a convenience store and a Wal-Mart store.

In addition to unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and fleeing the scene charges, both Ames and LaPointe were arrested for outstanding warrants. Both men were transported to the Morrison County jail and are being held pending a determination on charges by the Morrison County attorney's office.

In addition, charges are likely in both Wadena and Crow Wing County. In Crow Wing County, Ames is wanted on six warrants for felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct, two counts of misdemeanor underage consumption, misdemeanor theft, fifth-degree assault and misdemeanor trespass.