A Farmington, Minn., man arrested Monday after a 20-minute chase from Interstate 35 to the Lakewalk into Canal Park has twice had his driving privileges revoked and had two traffic tickets in his pockets when taken into custody, police said.
Cameron Cory Matter, 26, was charged Wednesday in St. Louis County District Court with fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, driving while impaired and possessing an open bottle. He was being held in the St. Louis County Jail on $15,000 bail.
Minnesota State Patrol Sgt. Bill Ulvi was on patrol about 3:50 p.m. Monday when notified by a 911 dispatcher that a cell phone caller had reported a gray Jeep being driven erratically, possibly by an impaired driver, on Interstate 35 northbound near Boundary Avenue.
According to the criminal complaint, Matter didn't respond when the trooper activated the red lights and siren of his squad car. The suspect continued north at speeds ranging from 45 to 70 mph while crossing over dividing lines several times.
Matter took the 21st Avenue East exit, made a wide turn onto Water Street and headed for the Lakewalk. Ulvi considered using a bumping maneuver to stop Matter's vehicle, but, because of pedestrian traffic and parked cars on both sides of the street, was unable to do so.
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Matter continued along the Lakewalk, forcing several pedestrians to jump into the snow to avoid being struck.
Duluth police set up near the Rose Garden, but Matter drove over a snow bank and continued on his way.
Ulvi was able to push Matter's vehicle on several occasions, but was unable to push the vehicle into a snow bank. The suspect reached the end of the Lakewalk and continued driving toward the Aerial Lift Bridge. A Duluth police squad car attempted to make contact with Matter's vehicle, but he got away and struck at least two parking meters. A police car eventually forced Matter's Jeep into a snow bank. The suspect then ran away.
Matter was nabbed and arrested by Sgt. Jim Lesar, head of the Duluth police Crash Investigations/Traffic unit, near an elevator at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center parking ramp.
"He pretended like he didn't know what was going on, but he just reeked of booze," Lesar said Wednesday. "He [Matter] said, 'Can you tell me what this is all about?' He was just playing nonchalant."
A half-empty, uncapped 750-milliliter bottle of Phillips Hot 100 -- a cinnamon-flavored Schnapps -- was found in Matter's vehicle. The defendant was uncooperative when attempts were made to conduct preliminary sobriety tests. He eventually agreed to provide a urine sample, which was sent to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for analysis.
Two State Patrol vehicles were damaged in the pursuit. State Patrol Sgt. Mark Baker said preliminary estimates were that one vehicle sustained $7,000 to $8,000 damage and the other $2,500 damage.
"We were very fortunate at that time of the day that there wasn't more pedestrian traffic out," Lesar said. "There was nowhere for them to go with snow on both sides of the Lakewalk."
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According to the criminal complaint, Matter's driving privileges had been revoked in April 2006 and again in March 2007 for driving with an alcohol content of more than 2½ times the legal limit.
MARK STODGHILL covers public safety and courts. He can be reached weekdays at (218) 723-5333 or by e-mail at mstodghill@duluthnews.com .
