Wanted felon found with Taser; 21-year-old faces additional charge for having weapon

Published 10:26 am Friday, May 20, 2016

A man with an active warrant was found with a Taser after he was pulled over for erratic driving.

Jacob Lewis Backen-Vanmaanen, 21, of Adams pleaded not guilty on Thursday in Mower County Court to a charged of being a violent felon in possession of electronic incapacitation device, a felony.

At about 10:14 p.m. on April 17, officers received a driving complaint on Interstate 90 east of the Austin city limits. They pulled over a 2010 Chevy Cobalt after seeing the vehicle cross the fog line and center line, according to court records.

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The driver, Backen-Vanmaanen said he was having trouble seeing because of the headlight reflection on his glasses. Officers did not suspect him to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but they did learn his license was revoked.

Backen-Vanmaanen told officers he had a Taser in the back seat. Dispatch informed officers he had an Olmsted County arrest warrant and he was taken into custody.

It was later discovered he had a juvenile adjudication for a felony crime of violence, which prohibited his possession of the device.

He also has a juvenile delinquency adjudication for fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct from October 2008.

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