Bloomington woman pointed gun at officer's face during Chanhassen chase, charges say
CHANHASSEN, Minn. — A 33-year-old Bloomington woman has been charged for allegedly pointing a gun at an officer during a police chase in the west metro, according to a complaint filed in Carver County.
According to the South Lake Minnetonka Police Department, shortly before 7 p.m. on Tuesday, an officer tried to pull over Amanda Nelson after learning she had an active warrant out of Illinois for aggravated assault, aggravated battery and domestic battery. She failed to stop and officers initiated a pursuit.
As Nelson drove southbound on Highway 41, an officer performed a PIT maneuver on her vehicle, causing it to spin. Charges say while her vehicle was spinning, Nelson pointed what appeared to be a black handgun at one of the officers through her driver's window.
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Two more PIT maneuvers were performed on Nelson's vehicle. After the third maneuver, an officer attempted to exit his vehicle and take Nelson into custody. That's when police say she began driving toward him.
After the officer got back into the squad, charges state Nelson pointed a handgun directly at the officer's face. The officer ducked and fired five rounds through the windshield and front passenger window of his vehicle, according to court documents.
Nelson drove away and continued southbound on Highway 41 before a fourth PIT maneuver was performed and her vehicle rolled over.
After a nearly four-and-a-half hour-long standoff, Carver County deputies removed Nelson from her vehicle and took her into custody.
Charges say authorities found a black handgun inside Nelson's vehicle that was determined to be BB gun air pistol. It was described as an "accurate physical replica of the M&P firearm by Smith and Wesson."
On Thursday, Nelson was charged with two counts of second-degree assault and one count of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle. Nelson's first court appearance is scheduled for the morning of April 2. Her bail is set at $1 million with conditions.
