FARGO – A West Fargo man faces several charges after a chase early Tuesday morning across Cass and Richland County.
The Patrol has identified the suspect as 42-year-old Christopher Pankowski of West Fargo. He’s facing charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under suspension, driving under the influence of drugs, unlawful display of license plates, DUI refusal, fleeing and reckless endangerment – extreme indifference. He also had an outstanding felony warrant out of Cass County.
Shortly after 1 a.m., a North Dakota Highway Patrol trooper observed a southbound vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed near the Horace exit with a Cass County deputy in active pursuit. The deputy advised the Patrol that the vehicle was traveling at 118 miles per hour as it entered Richland County.
At that point, the Highway Patrol took over pursuit and were assisted by Richland County deputies, who set up spike strips at the Wahpeton exit. Pankowski exited the interstate prior to the Wahpeton exit.
Richland County deputies later located the vehicle at mile marker 30, traveling at a high rate of speed and driving recklessly. They initiated a traffic stop but the vehicle fled northbound. The Highway Patrol successfully spiked the front passenger side tire using spike strips at mile marker 52.
The pursuit continued north on I-29 when, at the 52nd Avenue eastbound exit, the vehicle exited and traveled east into Fargo at a high rate of speed.
After the Patrol terminated the pursuit due to safety concerns, Fargo Police located the vehicle on University Avenue and followed it to an apartment complex at 35th Avenue and 11th Street where Pankowski exited the vehicle and fled on foot before police located him and took him into custody.
