(Estherville)--A Minnesota woman is facing multiple charges after a high speed pursuit earlier this week in Emmet County.
According to a criminal complaint, at about 1 pm on Tuesday, an Emmet County Sherriff’s Deputy while on patrol in the 5300 block of Highway 9, observed a 2008 Ford Edge SUV traveling westbound at a high rate of speed. While the vehicle was in front of the patrol car, radar confirmed that it was traveling at a speed of 93 MPH in a posted 60 MPH zone. Once the vehicle was behind the patrol car, rear radar was activated and it confirmed that the vehicle was traveling at a speed of 104 MPH.
By the time the deputy turned around, the SUV was roughly a half mile ahead. While trying to catch up to the vehicle, the deputy observed the SUV swerving around multiple cars in a reckless manner and still traveling at a high rate of speed. The complaint says when it was approaching 445th Avenue, the SUV entered the north ditch and went airborne after hitting a field drive. The SUV then slowed down and turned south on 445th Avenue before coming to a stop.
The driver of the SUV, later identified as 46-year-old Rebecca Whitman of Granada, MN was placed under arrest and transported to the Emmet County Jail. Whitman failed a field sobriety test and a breathalyzer test showed she had a blood alcohol level of .097, above the legal limit of point-0-8.
During a probable cause search of the vehicle, deputies located two baggies of a white crystalline substance and several items of drug paraphernalia. Also located was a bottle that had the odor of an alcoholic beverage. Both baggies tested positive for methamphetamine. The substance will be submitted to the DCI lab for analysis. The baggies containing the white crystalline substance weighed 2.51 grams and 9.68 grams.
Whitman was charged with a controlled substance violation, a class B felony, eluding-25 MPH over the speed limit, a class D felony, failure to afffix a drug tax stamp, also a class D felony and operating while under the influence-1st offense. She was also charged with reckless driving, excessive speed-21 MPH over the speed limit, failure to maintain control and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A preliminary hearing for Whitman is scheduled for October 26th at 4 pm in Emmet County District Court.
