Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A Clarks Grove man is facing numerous charges after he reportedly stole a minivan and led authorities on a chase that ended when he struck another vehicle on Thursday.

Shwe Thaung, 28, was charged Friday in Freeborn County District Court with eight counts: felony theft-take or drive a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent, felony fleeing police in a motor vehicle, felony first-degree criminal damage to property, felony fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance, gross misdemeanor criminal vehicular operation-causing bodily harm while under the influence of a controlled substance, two counts of driving while under the influence and misdemeanor driving after revocation.

Court documents state the stolen Chrysler Town and Country minivan, which belonged to an electrician, was stolen from the mobile home park in Clarks Grove.
After hearing over the radio about the stolen vehicle, a deputy encountered the van traveling southbound on Freeborn County Road 20 at a high rate of speed.

The deputy reportedly tried to pull over the vehicle and speeds continued over 100 mph.

The vehicle continued south on County Road 20, which turns into West Richway Drive in Albert Lea city limits continuing well over the posted 30 mph limit.

An Albert Lea officer deployed stop sticks at Richway’s intersection with Lakewood. The van then started to lose tires and smoke. Court documents state the van was still in excess of 50 mph when it tried to make the turn at Richway and Bridge Avenue and barely missed a car traveling south on Bridge, before going through the yard on the southeast corner of the intersection, sideswiping an electrical pole and striking another vehicle.

After Thaung was arrested, an officer found a small bag of a substance that field-tested positive for meth that weighed 2.48 grams in his jacket pocket. The officer also found the wallet of the person who the van belonged to, as well as a glass pipe with meth residue on it in a larger bag.

When asked when was the last time he had used drugs, Thaung reportedly stated he had used about one or two hours earlier. Authorities obtained a search warrant for a blood sample from Thaung on the suspicion of driving under the influence.

One person from the vehicle that was struck was later taken to the hospital by a family member.

In court on Friday, Freeborn County District Court Judge Christy Hormann ordered Thaung’s unconditional bail be set at $100,000 and conditional bail at $50,000.

Thaung has two previous convictions for felony motor vehicle theft, as well as convictions for simple robbery, receiving stolen property and fifth-degree controlled substance possession.