Apr. 6—RICHARDTON, N.D. — A Mandan woman with an extensive criminal record, particularly for driving offenses, has been arrested for DUI and other charges after leading North Dakota Highway Patrol troopers and Sheriff's Deputies on a high-speed chase, crashing into two Stark County patrol vehicles before refusing to submit to a breathalyzer test.

Sheriff Corey Lee provided details of the incident, noting that the crash occurred on I-94 around 8 p.m. on Monday, Apr. 3, culminating in the arrest of Theresa M. Nelson, 42, for DUI and three additional charges — two of which are classified as felonies.

"Ultimately it started in Bismarck. The gal was pulled over for suspicion of DUI. She fled from that traffic stop, Bismarck PD did not pursue so she went on her way. Later on she was called in as a reckless driver on the interstate," Lee explained. "Between Richardton and Taylor we got to her immediately after that call, and pursued her with the troopers to mile marker 64 where they spiked her. She lost three of her tires."

One of the deputies was reported to have used his vehicle to block Nelson from further endangering other drivers.

"One of the squad cars, our sergeant forfeited himself to keep her from going into oncoming traffic after she spun around," Lee said. "The other squad car was ran into at about that same time."

Lee added that the two deputy patrol cars sustained significant cosmetic damaged, particularly the vehicle that attempted to act as a barrier from oncoming traffic.

"Hopefully they don't total that because we're struggling to find vehicles as it is," Lee noted.

According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol, the arresting agency in the case, Nelson was driving a 1999 Dodge Ram pickup truck.

In a phone conversation Thursday, Lt. Eldon Mehrer said the Dodge Durango patrol vehicle sustained approximately $15,000 in damages, while the white Chevy Tahoe patrol vehicle will cost about $6,000 to fix. He added that fortunately none of the three deputies involved in these crashes were injured.

"I think it's a good example of inter-agency cooperation. The driver here was clearly putting the motoring public at risk. The officers performed their duties admirably to keep anybody from getting injured or killed from this dangerous driver," Mehrer said.

According to North Dakota court records, Nelson has an extensive criminal record. She was previously found guilty of misdemeanor Careless Driving; as well as misdemeanor Driving Under Suspension no less than six times. In 2015 Nelson was convicted of two class C drug related felonies in Williams County, and a third in Burleigh County in 2019. In 2018 she was found guilty of Driving Under Revocation — Alcohol Related — 4th or subsequent offense in 5 years.

Stark County Assistant State's Attorney Peter Murowski charged Nelson with misdemeanors for Driving a Motor Vehicle while under the Influence of Drugs and/or refusal of chemical test and Driving While License Privilege Is Suspended, as well as the class C felonies Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer and Reckless Endangerment. Nelson is tentatively scheduled to appear before Southwest District Judge James Gion for a preliminary hearing at the Stark County Courthouse on May 8, but remains in the custody of the Southwest Multi-County Correctional Center on a $2,500 bond.