St. Joseph Woman Charged in High Speed Chase

ST. CLOUD -- A St. Joseph woman has been charged in a high speed chase that ended when she crashed her car into a grove of trees early Saturday morning.

Twenty-seven-year-old Jaimie Maxson is accused of making an abrupt left-turn on a red arrow at the intersection of Division Street and 15th Avenue in Waite Park at about 5:30 a.m. A Stearns County sheriff's deputy spotted the violation and followed the car into the Martin Marietta driveway in an attempt to make a traffic stop.

Maxson allegedly put the car in reverse and fled westbound on Division Street. The officer gave chase and followed the car at a high rate of speed southbound on 10th Avenue South.

Records show the driver sped through another red light and almost struck a vehicle passing through on a green light. The driver ended up crashing into a grove of trees in the 900 block of Sunwood Park Drive.

The deputy says Maxson was acting erratically and frantically trying to get out of the car. According to the criminal complaint, Maxson was kicking at officers and screaming as she tried to escape custody. Maxson was believed to be under the influence of a controlled substance and was arrested. Officers say she remained uncooperative and later refused a blood test at the hospital.

A search of the car turned up a plastic baggie containing the prescription drug Adderall.

Maxson has been charged in Stearns County with fleeing police, 5th degree drug possession and DWI.