By KRISTINE GOODRICH
Mankato (Minn.) Free Press
NORTH MANKATO, Minn. — Both the driver who led authorities on a high-speed chase through three counties and his passenger are now facing felony charges.
Driver Larry Edward Brown Jr., 34, of Worthington, Minn., was charged Thursday in Nicollet County District Court with felonies for fleeing police, receiving stolen property and bringing stolen goods into the state.
Passenger Alyssa Joy Goodheart, 23, of Hays, was charged with felonies for aiding and abetting fleeing police, receiving stolen property, aiding and abetting receiving stolen property and bringing stolen goods into the state and a gross misdemeanor for giving false information to police.
Brown and Goodheart were a couple and stopped at New Creation Outreach Church in North Mankato seeking gas money Tuesday morning in a pickup they had stolen from an Iowa casino, according to the criminal complaint.
Brown allegedly told police Goodheart found a valet ticket on the floor at a casino in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and they used it to steal a pickup, which its owner later told police he had just purchased for $51,000.
Church staff called police because Goodheart appeared to have been recently beaten. Police tried to stop them after they left the church and went to a nearby gas station.
Brown allegedly drove through a ditch onto Highway 169 and then got onto Highway 14 where he drove in the wrong lane multiple times and reached a speed of over 125 mph.
In the Janesville area, Brown allegedly drove through multiple fields and a golf course before a State Patrol trooper was able to force him to stop. Brown then reportedly tried to run but was stopped with a stun gun.
Brown reportedly told police Goodheart told him to flee and told him not to stop. He denied causing her injuries.
Goodheart allegedly gave a false name and driver’s license to police and was arrested after police determined her real identity and discovered she had a parole violation warrant in Kansas.
Goodheart reportedly told police Brown had assaulted her and she continued their relationship because he threatened to kill her and her family. She denied being involved in the vehicle theft or encouraging Brown to flee.
Republished with permission