A high-speed chase through Sherburne County concluded with a red Subaru crushed on Highway 10 near Proctor Avenue, with authorities recovering cash, firearms, and suspected methamphetamine from the wreckage. Deputies say the driver fled on foot, but they later discovered him hiding under a deck at a nearby residence and arrested him. The encounter has resulted in a criminal complaint, which details what deputies believe they saw and seized at the site.
According to a criminal complaint filed by MN Crime, deputies were first notified after a motorist reported seeing a red Subaru swerving, running red lights, and driving east on Highway 10 near Proctor Avenue. According to the complaint, the driver is 44-year-old Vernon Paul Spoden of Crystal, and deputies attempted to pull him over, but the stop turned into a high-speed chase into Sherburne County until the Subaru crashed. Spoden allegedly fled the collision, but cops discovered him under a neighbouring deck and transported him to a hospital for treatment, according to the complaint.
Local public records show that a man with that name has had recent contact with police enforcement. Vernon Spoden has entries in Wright County jail records for May and June 2026, and a Stearns County court calendar reveals docket activity under his name earlier this spring. These records do not mirror the Sherburne County complaint, but they do show that the defendant has appeared on other county dockets throughout the region.
According to the complaint, officers seized around 30.74 grammemes of suspected methamphetamine from the Subaru, including a 29.08-gramme bag, as well as marijuana, marijuana wax, a digital scale, and other drug equipment. They also report recovering a loaded item. 22-calibre revolver, three rifles stowed in a camouflage pouch, and approximately 92 rounds of .22 long rifle ammo. Inside the vehicle, authorities discovered an open bottle of whisky and an empty beer can. According to the lawsuit, they seized around $44,318 in cash hidden in a thermos, a tube, and a Nintendo Switch case. After detectives secured a warrant, the driver allegedly refused to submit blood or urine, and the complaint states that Spoden had a past fifth-degree controlled drug and DWI conviction. According to the lawsuit, charges for the crash and evidence were submitted on June 16, 2026, as reported by MN Crime.
The complaint includes seven counts: evading a peace officer in a motor vehicle, second-degree controlled substance possession, possessing ammunition or a handgun after a felony conviction, refusing a chemical test, and various driver’s licence violations. Minnesota law prohibits some individuals from having firearms or ammunition following qualifying offences and establishes procedures for recovering such privileges. See Minn. Stat. §624.713 for firearm possession disqualifications and Minn. Stat. §609.165 for restoration of civil rights. The controlled substance legislation establishes weight thresholds that distinguish between second- and first-degree drug crimes. Minn. Stat. §152.022 states that punishments vary based on specific counts and a defendant’s prior record.
Vernon Paul Spoden, according to Wright County public notifications, was arrested in May on a Wright County DWI warrant, and the Stearns County calendar shows prior docket filings under the Spoden name earlier this year. Prosecutors will be able to use such earlier encounters when making charge decisions and establishing conditions in any forthcoming hearings. According to the Sherburne County lawsuit, no court date for the new file had been set at the time of submission.
The lawsuit is still live, and court papers will determine what happens next. This story will be updated as hearings are scheduled and further records become public.
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