DEVILS LAKE, N.D. - A man facing an attempted murder charge was at large Friday night after shooting at a state trooper, kidnapping a baby and crisscrossing northeast North Dakota in multiple stolen vehicles, authorities said.
The North Dakota Highway Patrol and other agencies have been looking for 23-year-old Daniel Michael Two Hearts since late Thursday.
Law enforcement agencies said he fired a 9mm at a state trooper during a chase that spanned two counties Thursday night, according to a news release. The Traill County State's Attorney's Office charged Two Hearts with the Class A attempted murder felony, which carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
The Highway Patrol said Two Hearts abandoned a stolen 2013 GMC Sierra at the Devils Lake Wal-Mart shortly before 3 p.m. Friday. The vehicle was the fourth - including three stolen vehicles - Two Hearts used to elude police.
Attempts to apprehend him started shortly after 9:30 p.m. Thursday near Grand Forks when a North Dakota Highway Patrol officer attempted to stop a red 2003 Chevy Silverado on Interstate 29 for a loud exhaust, according to a news release. The state trooper chased the vehicle, which at times exceeded 100 mph, south on the interstate toward Hillsboro, N.D., about 40 miles south of Grand Forks.
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Traill County Sheriff Steve Hunt said two Traill County deputies deployed spike strips just south of Hillsboro and forced the vehicle to stop about a mile south of town. Highway Patrol said Two Hearts then exited the truck and fired at the trooper, who was not hit and did not return fire.
Two Hearts fled on foot while two passengers in the Silverado were arrested. Meth was found in the pickup, according to the release.
Law enforcement still were looking for Two Hearts as of 11 p.m. Thursday when they received a report of a stolen sedan with an infant inside in Hillsboro, according to the release.
Authorities located the car, which was northbound on County Road 81 east of Reynolds, N.D., about 20 miles north of Hillsboro. Officers again deployed tire spikes, disabling the car.
That's when Two Hearts fled on foot again, according to the release. The baby was found in the stolen vehicle safe and unharmed. Hunt said they were aware the baby was in the car when spike strips were deployed.
"All things considered, it turned out about as well as it could have," Hunt said.
However, Two Hearts continued to avoid capture. Sometime between 11:30 p.m. and 6:30 Friday morning, he stole a silver 2005 Ford Taurus in Reynolds, according to Hunt. The Highway Patrol said he ditched the Taurus in Northwood, N.D., 27 miles away, where he stole the GMC Sierra, later found in Devils Lake.
The Highway Patrol asked residents not to approach the suspect and to report any suspicious activity to local authorities. Two Hearts is 5 feet 7 inches and weighs about 160 pounds, according to authorities.
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Two Hearts has faced multiple criminal charges in the past, including several cases involving theft, burglary, drugs, fleeing and escape.
