As the officer was
approaching the stopped vehicle on foot, the vehicle sped away from the stop
location at a high rate of speed. The officer returned to his squad and pursued
the vehicle. Within less than one minute from the time of the offender fleeing
the traffic stop, it left the roadway in the area of Hamline Avenue at Wynne
Avenue in St. Paul and struck a tree. The vehicle was occupied by an adult male
driver and an adult female passenger. Officers and other emergency medical
responders provided medical attention to both of the occupants, but the driver
was ultimately pronounced deceased. The passenger was transported to the
hospital with minor injuries.
The driver of the vehicle was identified via the Ramsey County Medical
Examiner’s Office as Ryan James Reeves, 32, of White Bear Lake, MN. The
passenger was identified as Erica Alana Wood, 24, of St. Paul, MN. Ryan Reeves
had an outstanding Ramsey County felony warrant for fleeing police in a motor
vehicle and an outstanding Scott County felony warrant for controlled substance
possession. Mr. Reeves also had a history of convictions for fleeing police in
a motor vehicle, motor vehicle theft, forgery, possession of a firearm by a
felon, drug possession, criminal damage to property, and domestic
assault-strangulation.
The Minnesota State Patrol were called to reconstruct the scene of the crash.
The St. Anthony Police Department, along with the Minnesota State Patrol and
the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office, continue to investigate.
Reference St. Anthony Police Department case number 17003534.
