REGIONAL — A Tower man and an Eveleth woman are facing multiple charges after a stolen vehicle pursuit on Interstate 94 on Monday led to a standoff and temporary highway closure in Douglas County.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said deputies attempted to stop a stolen vehicle reported at the Burgen rest stop around 12:12 p.m. The driver, identified as 41-year-old Nicholas Sleen, of Tower, and passenger, 20-year-old Allison Jacobs of Eveleth, fled westbound on the interstate.
Law enforcement deployed stop sticks along the route, but the suspects evaded them. Near mile marker 82, deputies forced the vehicle into a spin with a PIT maneuver, pinning it against a guardrail.
Instead of surrendering, Sleen threw the vehicle into reverse, trying to break free. Deputies blocked the vehicle and issued commands for the pair to exit. Officers reported that Sleen began putting on a heavy winter coat and extra clothing, a tactic that can be used to reduce the effect of less-lethal weapons.
An armored vehicle was called in to provide cover as repeated commands went unanswered. Eventually, deputies used Pepperball munitions to force compliance. Both suspects then surrendered without further incident.
Authorities said the two received medical attention before being booked into the Douglas County Jail. Charges include fleeing in a motor vehicle, fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of stolen property, and prohibited persons in possession of firearms or ammunition.
During the pursuit and standoff, I-94 was closed at the Evansville exit.
Other agencies involved included the Minnesota State Patrol, Alexandria Police Department, Grant and Otter Tail County sheriff’s offices, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and North Ambulance.
Sleen was already on probation for felony motor vehicle theft at the time of Monday’s incident. In that 2020 case, he borrowed a pickup on Dec. 26 for two days and failed to return it. The owner reported it was stolen to the Bois Forte Police on Jan. 8, 2021, and Sleen was located with the vehicle five days later in Duluth Township, where he was also reported trespassing on property once owned by his grandfather.
He was also sentenced to three years of probation in 2019 for receiving stolen property and fleeing police in another stolen truck case. Court records show that state troopers pursued him in a Chevy Silverado on I-35 in Duluth in October 2018. After refusing to stop, he drove onto Hwy. 53, ran a red light, and was eventually halted when a trooper used a PIT maneuver at Central Entrance, causing the truck to roll into a ditch.
Court records list additional convictions for Sleen for misdemeanor theft, felony methamphetamine possession, driving while intoxicated, and assault with a dangerous weapon.
Court records indicate that an Allison Rae Jacobs of Eveleth had prior convictions for misdemeanor theft, misdemeanor disorderly conduct, and multiple traffic infractions.