,
Under Minnesota law, the statute governing
Fleeing and Eluding is
Minnesota Statutes Section 609.487. [
1]
While the exact phrase "Willful Intent" is not part of the formal statute title, Minnesota courts have firmly established that fleeing is a
specific-intent crime. Under
Minn. Stat. § 609.02, subd. 9, criminal intent is explicitly written into the definition of "flee" by requiring that the driver acts with the specific
"intent to attempt to elude a peace officer." [
1,
2]
The statute splits the offense into two distinct categories based on the method of flight:
1. Fleeing a Peace Officer in a Motor Vehicle
Governed by
Subdivision 3, this is classified as a
felony. [
1]
- The Law: It is a crime for anyone to use a motor vehicle to flee or attempt to flee a peace officer who is acting in lawful duty, provided the driver knows (or reasonably should know) the person is an officer. [1]
- Statutory Definition of "Flee": ***Under Subdivision 1, fleeing means increasing speed, turning off headlights or taillights, refusing to stop, or using other means with intent to attempt to elude the officer*** after a signal to stop has been given.
- Penalties: The base felony carries a maximum penalty of up to three years and one day in prisonand/or a $5,000 fine, alongside mandatory driver's license revocation. Penalties escalate drastically under Subdivision 4 if the flight results in bodily harm or death (up to 40 years in prison). (Asterisks are mine).
You are approaching irrelevance, Marty.
Do better.