South Dakota man arrested for fleeing West Fargo police in stolen car
WEST FARGO - A South Dakota man was arrested early today after allegedly stealing a car from the Walmart parking lot in Fargo and fleeing police.
Dispatchers received a call at 12:28 a.m. that the owner of a black 2007 GMC Sierra had seen it leaving the parking lot westbound on 13th Avenue South.
A West Fargo officer spotted the vehicle in the 500 block of 13th Avenue. The driver pulled into Elmwood Park but discovered it was a dead end, turned around and came back out, hitting a street sign, Lt. Duane Sall stated in a news release.
The officer tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the vehicle got back onto 13th Avenue and turned onto River Street, where it finally stopped in the 1300 block, police said. The driver was apprehended without incident.
Mandel Joseph Yankton Jr., 21, of Yankton, S.D., was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property, fleeing from law enforcement, leaving the scene of an accident and DUI. He was taken to the Cass County Jail.
Police said the GMC's owner had left the keys in the unlocked vehicle.