#2021-03-18

The aftermath of the March 2021 high-speed chase that ended with a suspect slamming into a Ramsey County deputy's SUV at more than 100 mph has been released to the public, and it shows the response of multiple officers and paramedics who came to the aid of a badly injured deputy whose vehicle was on fire.

Released Monday by the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office and the Ramsey County Deputies' Federation, the video shows a New Brighton police officer and a fellow deputy run through the crash scene to help free the injured deputy.

The officers had to cut through the driver's side airbag before pulling the deputy from the vehicle. The deputy, whose face was covered in blood, suffered a broken kneecap, broken toe, fractured ribs, a bruised lung and a head injury. In the video, he could not remember that he had been driving at the time of the crash.

The crash happened around 9:45 p.m. Mar. 18 on Highway 96 at Round Lake Road in Arden Hills, with the squad car burning up after the deputy was pulled to safety.

“Earlier this year a Ramsey County Deputy aided another agency in a vehicle pursuit of a career criminal who subsequently hit the deputy’s squad car while driving in excess of 100 MPH," the federation announced. "Deputy Eddicus and Officer Kostohryz were the first to arrive on scene and extricated the injured deputy from the squad car seconds before it became fully engulfed in flames."

"Deputy Eddicus and Officer Kostohryz showed extraordinary courage, compassion, and dedication to save the life of a fellow officer, without regard for their own safety. Both serve their community every day with distinction, and we are extremely proud of them.”

The driver of the stolen Jeep was Oscar Delacruz, of St. Paul, who was charged with criminal vehicular operation causing substantial bodily harm to a peace officer, motor vehicle theft and fleeing a peace officer. He was transported to a hospital with minor injuries.

According to the criminal complaint, Delacruz was spotted in the stolen Jeep at a gas station in Mounds View and fled at more than 100 mph. He fled via an exit ramp from Hwy. 10 before running a red light and crashing into the side of the deputy's squad car.

The Ramsey County squad was forced into another vehicle on westbound Hwy. 96.

Delacruz, at the time of the crash, had an active warrant for his arrest stemming from a prior fleeing incident, and his driver's license was revoked. Delacruz's rap sheet includes felony convictions for motor vehicle theft, assault, domestic assault, violating a no-contact order, fleeing police in a motor vehicle, drugs and burglary.