Man Arrested After Vehicle Pursuit in Two Counties

LITCHFIELD -- A Cottage Grove man was arrested following a vehicle pursuit that took place in two different counties on Wednesday morning.

Wright County authorities say they were following a vehicle after it was involved in a hit-and-run crash near Dassel Township but discontinued the chase after the vehicle entered Cokato at a high rate of speed.

The Meeker County Sheriff's Office says they started pursuing the same vehicle just before 8:00 a.m. on westbound Highway 12 after it had slowed down but was veering into oncoming traffic. Authorities say stop sticks were used to catch the vehicle on Highway 12 east of Litchfield.

The driver of the vehicle, 31-year-old Fernando Mejia, was arrested at the scene and taken to the Meeker County Jail. He faces charges of fleeing a police officer, DUI, and driving after revocation.

The Meeker County Sheriff's Office also says a Litchfield police officer discharged his weapon at the vehicle at the time that the stop sticks were being deployed.

Nobody was hurt, and the incident and the use of force by that police officer are both under further investigation.