Man Sentenced for 2022 Fatal St. Cloud Chase

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- A man who led police on a chase in a stolen vehicle that resulted in the death of another motorist has learned his fate.

A Stearns County judge has sentenced 29-year-old Samuel Butler to 24 years in prison. He gets credit for having served 391 days in the county jail.

Butler pleaded guilty to an amended charge of fleeing police resulting in death in October. Six other charges have been dismissed as part of his plea.

The December 2022 chase started in St. Wendel Township when a caller reported someone driving erratically, and at times, on the wrong side of the road. Officers gave chase before Butler abandoned his SUV and stole a pickup and construction trailer.

Court records show a trail of damage left behind as Butler drove at high speeds to evade officers.

The chase ended when Butler drove through a stop sign and collided with a car at the intersection of 36th Avenue North and 10th Street North in St. Cloud. The driver of the car suffered severe injuries and died 10 days later. Butler was pinned inside the pickup and had to be extricated after crashing into a large tree.

Records show police found a glass pipe, a torch, and burned aluminum foil inside the abandoned vehicle.