FRAZEE, Minn. — A Detroit Lakes man faces several charges after evading police for hours on Monday by jumping in the Otter Tail River, burying himself in mud, and camouflaging himself with cattail reeds, according to a Frazee Police Department news release.
On Monday, July 14, Frazee police were made aware of a potentially impaired driver in the area. An officer located the vehicle and made contact with the driver. The officer initiated standardized field sobriety exercises and asked for a second unit.
It was determined that the man driving the vehicle was impaired, according to the release. The man then took off running and a Taser was deployed, but the suspect was not detained and continued running. The suspect then entered the Otter Tail River near South River Drive.
Additional units from the Detroit Lakes Police Department, Becker County Sheriff’s Office and Minnesota State Patrol responded, as well as Essentia EMS and Frazee Rescue. Attempts to coerce the suspect out of the river were unsuccessful, and drones were launched.
The suspect then went into the cattails and buried himself in the mud and camouflaged himself with the cattail reeds. The Detroit Lakes Fire Department responded to the scene with Becker County’s airboat. Otter Tail County also responded with an amphibious rescue SHERP UTV. Rescue attempts with those two units were also unsuccessful.
After several hours of hiding in the reeds, the suspect made his way to land, where he was nearly apprehended by deputies in the area. The suspect again went into the river to evade authorities.
Around 8:55 p.m., deputies on the airboat made contact with the suspect. The suspect would not cooperate with deputies in getting into the boat. Another airboat was requested from the White Earth Police Department. The suspect was taken into custody at 9:55 p.m.
The man was identified as Cole Edward Franzen, 28, of Detroit Lakes, according to the news release. Franzen faces charges of driving while impaired, fleeing on foot, obstruction of justice and a felony court order violation.
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