Stolen Vehicle Leads to High-Speed Pursuit, Then Arrest

(KWNO)- A Winona man was arrested yesterday, March 6, for stealing a vehicle and leading officers on a high-speed chase.

Around 11:20 a.m. on March 6, Winona County Deputies responded to a call that a man with a firearm had taken a motor vehicle from the owner on Bear Creek Rd near Altura.

The man, Jonathan Payton, born in 1985 and a resident of Winona, Minn. had gotten his vehicle stuck in a snowbank in a residential driveway.

Two younger men, one of which living at the residence, pulled into the driveway and asked Payton for assistance. Payton allowed for their help, only to then pull a gun on the two younger men, demanding that he take their vehicle.

After Payton drove off, the two victims called authorities. A responding deputy located the stolen vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed. The deputy attempted to signal Payton to pull over, in which Payton then fled. Officers say that speeds reached up to 107 mph.

Eventually, Payton was stopped after running over multiple stop sticks, resulting in three of the vehicles tires to deflate. The vehicle came to a stop on the Highway 61 and Highway 14 intersection. Payton was arrested on scene without any resistance.

Another deputy recovered a Glock handgun with the serial number scratched off and a bottle of blackberry brandy at the scene of where the vehicle was stolen. Officers assumed that Payton was impaired and requested a blood sample test, to which Payton initially agreed to. However, he later denied access to the test, so officers were unable to get an exact BAC level.

Payton was arrested and referred to the Winona County Attorney’s Office for charges of Fleeing in a Motor Vehicle, Aggravated Robbery, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, 2nd Degree Assault and Remove Alter serial number of a Firearm.