A man charged after leading Mower County Sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase May 10 pleaded not guilty Thursday in Mower County court.

Patrick Kelly Mullay, 21, of Stewartville faces three felony charges: second-degree drug possession, fifth-degree drug possession and fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle; misdemeanor fourth degree DWI; and two petty misdemeanors for possession of drug paraphernalia and speeding, 76 mph in a 55 mph zone.

At about 9:09 p.m. on May 10, deputies were driving west on Highway 16, near 690th Avenue in Grand Meadow Township when they saw an eastbound 1999 Pontiac Montana van driving at a high rate of speed. They clocked the van at 70 mph and then at 76 mph after the van passed the squad car.

The deputies initiated a traffic stop and the van pulled over. When officers got out to approach the van, it then accelerated and sped away. The van reached speeds of 95 mph, until it reached the Grand Meadow city limits and then slowed to about 80 mph.

Another deputy was parked near Grand Meadow High School and deployed a spike strip, which hit the front left tire. Mullay drove the van across a yard on Highway 16 and then into a planted wheat field just north of the Frankford Town Hall.

He tried to drive onto 770th Avenue but the van became stuck in the ditch. Mullay fled the vehicle and ran into a field, but deputies followed and Mullay surrendered and was arrested.

Deputies believe Mullay he was high during the incident.

Deputies found a plastic bag in the crease of the driver’s seat, which contained about 6.80 grams of methamphetamine. They also found two marijuana pipes.

Another deputy arrived to take inventory and found two white Lorazepam pills, a digital scale and several unused plastic bags in the vehicle. A glass meth pipe was found in Mullay’s jacket, which he threw off when he fled on foot.

Mullay said “a friend” gave him the van to drive several weeks earlier. He also admitted to using meth earlier in the day and said the reason he fled was because he had meth in the van.

Mullay’s next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 27 for a pre-trial and Nov. 7 for a jury trial.