Twin Cities Man Given Stayed Prison Sentence for Rochester Impound Lot Escape

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A Twin Cities man has been given the chance to avoid prison for a property damage conviction tied to a law enforcement pursuit in Rochester. 

See Also: Arrest Warrant Issued for Rochester Drive-By Shooting Suspect 

He entered a guilty plea in the case in August and appeared for his sentencing hearing earlier this week. 

Charges were filed in the case in January of last year. 

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St. Paul Man Given Stayed Prison Sentence for Property Damage Conviction Tied to Rochester Pursuit

31-year-old Kenwone Darrian Pruitt was accused of driving his vehicle out of an impound lot near the Rochester Airport on January 2, 2024. 

The criminal complaint says the St. Paul man did not pay an impound fee and damaged other vehicles during his escape. The business contacted law enforcement to report property damage caused by Pruitt, the complaint says. 

An Olmsted County Sheriff's deputy responding to the scene activated his squad vehicle’s emergency lights after seeing Pruitt heading north on South Broadway at 28th Street.  

A pursuit began and continued north until the deputy and a Minnesota State Trooper stopped the vehicle at the 16th Street intersection near Graham Park, the charges say. 

Pruitt did not comply with orders to exit the vehicle and sped off from the traffic stop, however he ran over a tire deflation device law officers had placed under his vehicle.

A Rochester police officer arrived at the scene just as Pruitt fled and decided not to pursue, the complaint says. 

Law enforcement found and apprehended Pruitt at the Kwik Trip store at the intersection of Highway 14 and 3rd Avenue SE.

The arresting officer reported that the vehicle was parked with a flat tire and Pruitt was standing next to it, smoking a cigarette, according to the court document.

Pruitt was charged with felony fleeing police and gross misdemeanor third-degree property damage.

Under the plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to an amended charge of felony first-degree property damage in exchange for dismissal of the fleeing police charge. 

He was sentenced to a five-year stayed prison term.