-The report of a suspicious vehicle south of Armstrong earlier this month has resulted in multiple charges being filed against an Arizona man.
According to the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office, Deputies responded to the report of a truck and boat trailer that were parked in the 1700 block of 550th Street, about a mile southwest of Armstrong around 11:45 PM on July 1st. Upon arrival, Deputies discovered a male sleeping in the vehicle, identified as 29-year-old Benjamin Johnson of Buckeye, Arizona, who told Deputies that he had run out of gas.
After conducting a brief investigation, Deputies determined the truck had been stolen from a dealership in southeast Minnesota, while the boat and trailer had been stolen from Emmetsburg. At that time, Deputies took Johnson into custody and booked him into the Emmet County Jail.
Following the arrest, Deputies learned that Johnson was a suspect in a high-speed pursuit near Red Wing, Minnesota where shots were fired, and the suspect fled on foot once the vehicle had become disabled and allegedly burglarized some area businesses.
Deputies then conducted a search of the truck that was recovered in Emmet County, and found items from the Minnesota burglaries, as well as more than 25 grams of fentanyl.
Johnson is facing charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver Fentanyl, a Class B Felony, Two counts of 1st Degree Theft, a Class C Felony, and multiple misdemeanors.
The matter remains under investigation by law enforcement officials in Emmet County and in Minnesota.
