Charges: Man who hit carwash door as he fled police had meth in vehicle

A Mankato man is accused of damaging a carwash door as he fled police with meth in his vehicle.

Branden Anthony Hendrickson, 23, was charged Tuesday in Blue Earth County Court with felony counts of 1st-degree property damage, fleeing police in a motor vehicle, and 5th-degree drug possession.

A criminal complaint says the owner of the Star Street Car Wash called police just before 11 p.m. Monday night to have Hendrickson trespassed from the property. Hendrickson had previously smoked meth and changed oil in the carwash at another business owned by the same person, according to the complaint.

Court documents say Hendrickson’s car struck the partially-opened garage door as he fled from officers when they asked him to stop.  Police say Hendrickson drove off at a high rate of speed without headlights, reaching speeds of 60 mph on city roads and ignoring red lights and stop signs.

The complaint says Hendrickson eventually crashed into a snowbank and fled on foot, but he was ultimately taken into custody.

Police say a bowl and a cracked mirror with a white substance found inside the vehicle tested positive for meth.

The complaint says Hendrickson admitted to fleeing officers because he had a warrant and he didn’t want to get kicked out of drug court.  Police say he admitted the methamphetamine was his and that he saw emergency lights, but he hoped officers would call off the pursuit.

The damages to the carwash were estimated at over $1,000.

Hendrickson is also facing misdemeanor counts of fleeing police and reckless driving.