Waite Park Police Arrest St. Paul Man After Brief Chase

WAITE PARK -- A St. Paul man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting an officer and then running from police.

Waite Park police say the incident started at about 5:30 p.m. Monday when an officer saw a vehicle that was reported as being involved in a hit and run crash in St. Joseph. They made a traffic stop near the intersection of Division Street and Waite Avenue. The Waite Park officer and a Stearns County deputy identified the driver as 24-year-old Kenari Harper of St. Paul and determined there was a warrant out on him from the Department of Corrections.

While placing him under arrest and putting handcuffs on him Harper allegedly pulled away from the officer, swung his arm around and struck the officer in the face causing him to lose his grip. Harper then ran into the Crossroads parking lot and then double backed to the vehicle.

A woman in the car got out and was lying in the parking lot unhurt.

A Waite Park officer attempted to use his Taser but the probes did not make contact.

Harper drove the car over several curbs and blew a tire. Stearns County and St. Cloud police were able to stop Harper and place him under arrest.

The officer didn't require medical attention and returned to work. No one else was hurt.