Stolen tractor pursuit ends in arrest

At approximately 3:38 a.m. today, Clay County deputies responded to a report of a theft of a tractor that had just occurred in the area of 100th Avenue and 250th Street South in rural Hawley. The caller reported that his John Deere 4320 tractor with a trailer attached was taken out of his field. The caller indicated the suspect was driving the tractor through a bean field in the area.

When deputies arrived on scene, they located the tractor and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on it. The driver refused to stop, and the deputies continued to follow the suspect for approximately ½ hour. The driver continued through fields in the area and deputies were able to maintain sight of the tractor. When it was safe to do so, deputies were able to direct the path of the tractor out of the field and into a swampy area, where it became stuck.

The driver, Nicole Rae Cloud, 31-year-old female from Warroad, MN was taken into custody for Motor Vehicle Theft, Fleeing a Police in a Motor Vehicle, Criminal Damage to Property and two outstanding warrants for her arrest. She was transported to the Clay County Correctional Facility.

Hawley Police Department and Barnesville Police Department assisted with this incident as well.