On Feb. 7 at approximately 12:17 a.m., Big Lake Police Officer Tyler Hecht attempted to stop a white Tahoe for speeding and not signaling a turn.

Officer Hecht activated his emergency lights and the vehicle accelerated at a high rate of speed with the rear wheels spinning and trying to gain traction. The vehicle made a right turn onto Crane Drive, and then turned onto Egret Ave., which was a dead-end road. The vehicle proceeded to the end of Egret Ave. and drove onto a residential driveway. The vehicle attempted to drive through a snow-covered yard and ultimately got stuck.

The pursuit lasted approximately .41 miles.

Officer Hecht approached the vehicle and observed one male driver in the vehicle. A quart size Ziplock baggie with a large amount of suspected methamphetamine was observed sitting on the driver’s lap. The driver was removed from the vehicle and placed under arrest.

The driver identified himself as N.P.M., which was later determined to be the name of the driver’s brother. The driver was eventually identified as Jacob McNeely, 25 of Coon Rapids.

McNeely had multiple felony warrants.

The vehicle was searched. In addition to the baggie already located on McNeely’s lap, a small baggie with suspected methamphetamine was found laying on the driver’s seat. Both bags of suspected methamphetamine field tested positive for methamphetamine. In total, the bags weighed 118.2 grams with packaging.

A Sig Sauer P229 .40 caliber handgun with 12 hollow point rounds in the loaded magazine was found laying on the floorboard behind the center console within arm’s reach of where McNeely was sitting. The handgun was found laying down with the handle up consistent with being set there from the driver’s seat. Drug paraphernalia, seven cell phones, a scale, and 50 small Ziplock baggies were also found in the vehicle.

McNeely was having a medical episode and was transported to the hospital. At the hospital, a loaded .40 caliber magazine that matched the firearm found in the vehicle was found slipping out of McNeely’s pocket. After he was cleared at the hospital, McNeely was searched more thoroughly, and an additional baggie of a controlled substance was found in McNeely’s right small jean pocket. The substance field tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed 1 .1 grams.

McNeely has a prior Felony 2nd Degree Controlled Substance Possession conviction from 2016 and a prior Felony 5th Degree Controlled Substance Possession conviction from 2019. Both convictions are considered crimes of violence under statute and prohibit McNeely from possessing firearms.

McNeely was charged by criminal complaint with; Felony 1st Degree Aggravated Controlled Substance Crime and Firearm, Felony 1st Degree Possess 100 Grams or More of Cocaine or Methamphetamine, Felony Possess Ammo/Any Firearm, Felony Fleeing a Peace Officer in a Motor Vehicle, and Gross Misdemeanor Giving Peace Officer False Name of Another Person.