2008 Woodie Awards
Local
Felon flags down off-duty officer
Issue date: 11/1/07 Section: Briefly
- Page 1 of 1
ST. CLOUD, Minn. -- At about 4:45 a.m. while driving home from work early Wednesday morning, an off-duty Benton County deputy stopped to help a vehicle that was in the ditch on Benton County Road 4 near Foley.
He ended up arresting the man involved in the accident because the car was stolen.
Dean Gangl, 40, of Richmond, is facing possible stolen vehicle and methamphetamine possession charges.
Haas, who was not in uniform at the time, stopped to help and soon encountered a man who was carrying a shovel and said he was afraid that "the cops were coming down the driveway," Bennett said.
The vehicle was in a ditch near a residence, Bennett said, and the man asked Haas if he had a tow rope. Haas noticed that the vehicle in the ditch matched the description of a vehicle that had been stolen in St. Cloud on Tuesday evening, Bennett said.
Haas got back into his vehicle and called the sheriff's department to confirm that the vehicle was the same one that had been stolen. Haas also requested the assistance of another deputy.
He then identified himself as a deputy to Gangl and arrested him.
A search of Gangl revealed a small bag containing a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine, Bennett said.
"It was kind of a nice heads-up for him," Bennett said of Haas.
He ended up arresting the man involved in the accident because the car was stolen.
Dean Gangl, 40, of Richmond, is facing possible stolen vehicle and methamphetamine possession charges.
Haas, who was not in uniform at the time, stopped to help and soon encountered a man who was carrying a shovel and said he was afraid that "the cops were coming down the driveway," Bennett said.
The vehicle was in a ditch near a residence, Bennett said, and the man asked Haas if he had a tow rope. Haas noticed that the vehicle in the ditch matched the description of a vehicle that had been stolen in St. Cloud on Tuesday evening, Bennett said.
Haas got back into his vehicle and called the sheriff's department to confirm that the vehicle was the same one that had been stolen. Haas also requested the assistance of another deputy.
He then identified himself as a deputy to Gangl and arrested him.
A search of Gangl revealed a small bag containing a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine, Bennett said.
"It was kind of a nice heads-up for him," Bennett said of Haas.