Deputies: Wanted man hid inside stranger's home after running from police in Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, Minn. (FOX 9) - Deputies say a man broke into a stranger's home, hiding behind furniture, after escaping a manhunt on Thursday in western Minnesota.

According to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, the suspect, who FOX 9 is not yet identifying because he hasn't been formally charged, was arrested Friday night after the incident that started Thursday evening near Alexandria.

Investigators initially responded around 9 p.m. for the report of a stolen truck and trailer. Shortly after the report, Alexandria police spotted the vehicle and trailer and started a chase, but later ended the chase for unspecified reasons.

A short time later, deputies learned from OnStar representatives that the stolen vehicle was stopped on the east side of Alexandria. Once again, deputies responded and found the man had disconnected the truck from the trailer and taken off again.

That sparked another chase, with deputies following the man to the east side of Lake Geneva. At that point, the man got out of the truck and ran away on foot into a wooded area. Deputies say he shouted that he had a gun.

Deputies set up a perimeter but were unable to locate the man. However, a deputy was able to positively identify the suspect before he got away. Officials searched the wooded area with SWAT teams and K-9 dogs but were unable to find the man. Believing the man had escaped the perimeter, the search was ultimately called off.

The following morning, Friday, Oct. 1 around 7:50 a.m., a family along East Lake Geneva Road report their vehicle had been stolen.

Deputies later learned the man had likely entered the home from a walk-in basement from the lakeside of the home. Once inside, deputies believe he may have hid behind a couch overnight. At the time, there were five people sleeping inside the home, the sheriff's office adds.

At some point, the suspect went upstairs, entered the garage, and stole a Jeep in the garage.

The Jeep was found shortly after noon near 15th Avenue and Elm Street in Alexandria, with the suspect nowhere to be found. The search continued, with investigators later learning that the man was now at a home in the City of Carlos. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office applied for a "no-knock" warrant for the property, which was granted.

But, as SWAT teams approached the home, they say the suspect drove away on a motorcycle. Once again, the man headed to a wooded area along a lake, this time on East Carlos Lake Road.

As deputies approached, the man seated on the motorcycle revved the engine several times before spinning around and driving towards the deputy, sparking another chase. That chase lasted about 10 miles before the man lost control on County Road 82 near Brophy Park and slid into a ditch.

At that point, deputies said the man refused to obey orders, kept one hand behind his back, and claimed to have a gun. Ultimately, deputies called in police dogs who helped get the man into custody.

Deputies later found the man did not have a gun on him. He was treated for injuries from the crash at a hospital, under guard by the sheriff's office. Saturday morning, he was deemed medically stable and transported to Douglas County Jail where he is in custody pending charges.