MANKATO — A Shakopee man has been charged with 11 criminal offenses after a high-speed chase ended in a crash that injured one civilian and a police officer, damaged multiple law enforcement vehicles and culminated in his arrest after he allegedly threw a large knife at authorities.
Brandon Michael Hall, 43, has been charged in Blue Earth County District Court with two felony counts of first-degree assault using deadly force against a peace officer, fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, two felony counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, two felony counts of first-degree property damage, two counts of obstructing the legal process, gross misdemeanor criminal vehicular operation causing bodily harm and gross misdemeanor reckless driving.
The charges stem from a pursuit on Tuesday night after law enforcement attempted to arrest Hall on an active Minnesota Department of Corrections felony body-only warrant — requiring an in-person appearance before a judge — according to the criminal complaint filed Thursday. The warrant stemmed from a previous drug conviction for which Hall was sentenced in 2022.
Authorities attempted a felony traffic stop at the intersection of the Highway 68 and County Road 11 by positioning squad vehicles around Hall’s car. He immediately accelerated, struck the unmarked squad car assisting with the stop and escaped through a narrow gap between law enforcement vehicles before fleeing east, going over 120 mph on Highway 68, the complaint states.
A deputy had deployed stop sticks near Minneopa State Park, but Hall avoided them.
Hall was reportedly fleeing on Highway 14 eastbound just before 6 p.m. in a Ford Edge when it rear-ended a Ford Fusion, reports from the State Patrol said. The Fusion, driven by Daniel Patrick Hendley, 47, of Mankato, was pushed into a Mankato Police Department Ford Explorer driven by Maxwell Thomas Strong, 25, of New Brighton.
An additional Mankato squad, a Ford Explorer driven by Kenden John Slattery, 25, of North Mankato, hit the catalytic converter that fell from one of the vehicles during the crash.
Hall’s car reportedly became disabled near Riverfront Drive and deputies ordered him to exit with his hands visible, but Hall remained inside while holding what was later identified as a large butcher-style cleaver knife.
Officers deployed pepper-ball rounds in an attempt to gain Hall’s compliance. He then exited the vehicle holding the knife, ignored repeated commands to drop it and attempted to run.
A Taser was deployed, after which Hall turned and threw the knife at both deputies. Investigators believe the knife was thrown in an attempt to cause substantial bodily harm or death.
Hall was subdued after a second Taser deployment and taken to Mayo Clinic Health System for medical evaluation, where deputies executed a court-authorized search warrant for a blood sample. Hall, Hendley and officer Strong were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at the Mankato hospital, the patrol said.
The criminal complaint states the investigation remains ongoing and that additional charges may be filed.