Minnesota Statutes

Minn. Stat. § 609.487 (2026)

Fleeing Peace Officer; Motor Vehicle; Other

✓ current as of May 2026

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Subdivision 1.Flee; definition.

For purposes of this section, the term "flee" means to increase speed, extinguish motor vehicle headlights or taillights, refuse to stop the vehicle, or use other means with intent to attempt to elude a peace officer following a signal given by any peace officer to the driver of a motor vehicle.

Subd. 2.Peace officer; definition.

For purposes of this section, "peace officer" means:

(1) an employee of a political subdivision or state law enforcement agency who is licensed by the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training, charged with the prevention and detection of crime and the enforcement of the general criminal laws of the state and who has the full power of arrest, and shall also include the Minnesota State Patrol and Minnesota conservation officers;

(2) an employee of a law enforcement agency of a federally recognized tribe, as defined in United States Code, title 25, section 450b(e), who is licensed by the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training; or

(3) a member of a duly organized state, county, or municipal law enforcement unit of another state charged with the duty to prevent and detect crime and generally enforce criminal laws, and granted full powers of arrest.

Subd. 2a.Motor vehicle; definition.

For purposes of this section, "motor vehicle" has the meaning given it in section 169.011, subdivision 42, and includes a snowmobile, as defined in section 84.81, off-road recreational vehicles as defined in section 169A.03, subdivision 16, and motorboats as defined in section 169A.03, subdivision 13.

Subd. 3.Fleeing officer; motor vehicle.

Whoever by means of a motor vehicle flees or attempts to flee a peace officer who is acting in the lawful discharge of an official duty, and the perpetrator knows or should reasonably know the same to be a peace officer, is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than three years and one day or to payment of a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.

Subd. 4.Fleeing officer; death; bodily injury.

Whoever flees or attempts to flee by means of a motor vehicle a peace officer who is acting in the lawful discharge of an official duty, and the perpetrator knows or should reasonably know the same to be a peace officer, and who in the course of fleeing in a motor vehicle or subsequently by other means causes the death of a human being not constituting murder or manslaughter or any bodily injury to any person other than the perpetrator may be sentenced to imprisonment as follows:

(a) if the course of fleeing results in death, to imprisonment for not more than 40 years or to payment of a fine of not more than $80,000, or both; or

(b) if the course of fleeing results in great bodily harm, to imprisonment for not more than seven years or to payment of a fine of not more than $14,000, or both; or

(c) if the course of fleeing results in substantial bodily harm, to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.

Subd. 5.Revocation; fleeing peace officer offense.

When a person is convicted of operating a motor vehicle in violation of subdivision 3 or 4, or an ordinance in conformity with those subdivisions, the court shall notify the commissioner of public safety and order the commissioner to revoke the driver's license of the person.

Subd. 6.Fleeing, other than vehicle.

Whoever, for the purpose of avoiding arrest, detention, or investigation, or in order to conceal or destroy potential evidence related to the commission of a crime, attempts to evade or elude a peace officer, who is acting in the lawful discharge of an official duty, by means of running, hiding, or by any other means except fleeing in a motor vehicle, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 98 cases (19 in the last 5 years), 1983–2026 · leading case: State v. Wilson, 830 N.W.2d 849 (Minn. 2013).

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State v. Wilson, 830 N.W.2d 849 (Minn. 2013). · cites it 38× “Appellant Sharon Wilson was convicted of fleeing a peace officer by means other than a motor vehicle, Minn.Stat. § 609.487, subd. 6 (2012), after she ran from a police officer who was responding to a stabbing at a bar in Minneapolis.”

United States v. Tyler, 580 F.3d 722 (8th Cir. 2009). · cites it 13× “Minn.Stat. § 609.487 subd. 3. That same statutory section also defines what types of conduct constitute fleeing: Subdivision 1.”

State v. Stanke, 764 N.W.2d 824 (Minn. 2009). · cites it 10× “Minn.Stat. § 609.487, subd. 4(a) (2008). He also pleaded guilty to fleeing a peace officer resulting in great bodily harm, involving the collision that caused injuries to the driver of the other car.”

Johnson v. Morris, 453 N.W.2d 31 (Minn. 1990). · cites it 8× “Minn.Stat. § 609.487 (1988). That statute defines “flee” as “to increase speed * * * or to use other means with intent to attempt to elude a peace officer following a signal given by any police officer to the driver of a motor vehicle.”

United States v. Lewis Pate, 754 F.3d 550 (8th Cir. 2014). · cites it 9× “In this appeal, Pate challenges (1) his conviction, arguing insufficiency of the evidence; and (2) his sentence, asserting a Minnesota conviction for fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, see Minn.Stat. § 609.487, subd. 3, is not a violent felony within the meaning of the…”

State v. Campbell, 814 N.W.2d 1 (Minn. 2012). · cites it 4× “1(4), la(d) (2010); and felony fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle resulting in death, Minn.Stat. § 609.487, subd. 4(a) (2010). On January 12, 2010, the district court imposed five sentences in the order in which the offenses occurred.”

State v. Craven, 628 N.W.2d 632 (Minn. Ct. App. 2001). · cites it 14× “195(a) (1998) and two counts of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle causing death (fleeing causing death) under Minn.Stat. § 609.487, subd. 4 (1998). More than a year later, the state amended its complaint, dismissing the two counts of fleeing causing death and adding two…”

State v. Clark, 722 N.W.2d 460 (Minn. 2006). · cites it 4× “1(b) (2004); fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in violation of Minn.Stat. § 609.487, subd. 3 (2004); receiving stolen property in violation of Minn.”

State v. Misquadace, 644 N.W.2d 65 (Minn. 2002). · cites it 2× “20(2) (2000) — the statutory maximum and an upward durational departure from the presumptive 86-month sentence; (2) 13 months, executed and consecutive, for fleeing a peace officer, Minn. Stat. § 609.487 , subd. 3 (2000) — an upward dispositional and durational departure from…”

United States v. John Bartel, 698 F.3d 658 (8th Cir. 2012). · cites it 5× “See Minn. Stat. § 609.487 , subd. 3. In reaching a plea agreement, Mr.”

United States v. Ronald Finley, Jr., 56 F.4th 1159 (8th Cir. 2023). · cites it 4× “While the Government argued that the PC pickups (and the underlying facts of the May 2020 drive-by shooting) supported probable cause, it alternatively argued that Appellants’ respective flights provided law enforcement with independent probable cause for arrest under Minn.…”

State v. Wilson, 814 N.W.2d 60 (Minn. Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 34× “Appellant was charged with violation Minn.Stat. § 609.487, subd. 6 (2010) (making an attempt to evade or elude a peace officer acting in the lawful discharge of an official duty by any means other than fleeing in a motor vehicle a misdemeanor).”

Show all 98 citing cases →

— Minn. Stat. § 609.487(1) — 1 case

United States v. Roseboro, 551 F.3d 226 (4th Cir. 2009).

— Minn. Stat. § 609.487(3) — 2 cases

United States v. Pickar, 616 F.3d 821 (8th Cir. 2010).

United States v. Furqueron, 605 F.3d 612 (8th Cir. 2010).

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