A 22-year-old woman with an unknown address is facing multiple charges after she allegedly stole a squad car, struck a police officer and led police on a chase through Fergus Falls early Saturday morning.

According to court reports, Naveen Pearl Bad Mocassin was being interviewed about a possible sexual assault at about 12:40 a.m. before she was taken by officers to detox. The driver of the squad car left Mocassin in the back seat of the vehicle and stepped outside to confer with another police officer before entering the building to notify staff of Mocassin’s arrival. After several minutes, the officers left the detox building when they saw the back up lights illuminate on a squad car.

Mocassin had allegedly crawled through the small partition and was in the driver’s seat attempting to flee when one of the officers ran after her to try to get her to stop. The officer opened the passenger’s side door and leaned into the vehicle when Mocassin began to drive, throwing the officer to the ground.

The other officer got into his car and followed Mocassin west on Tower Road with his emergency lights and siren on. Mocassin turned south on College Way. The officer then followed Mocassin as she turned east on Cavour.

Mocassin’s blood alcohol level was more than .20, and the officer reported that she did not stop for stop signs and appeared to have no concern for public safety.

Mocassin then turned south on Union Avenue where she reached speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. She then turned left onto Vernon Avenue, but the chase ended when Mocassin pulled the car over, striking a curb soon after turning onto Mill Street.

The officer approached the driver’s side of the vehicle with his gun drawn and found Mocassin sitting in the driver’s seat with her arms crossed. The officer placed Mocassin in the back of his squad car and took her to the Otter Tail County Detention Facility.

On the way to the detention facility, Mocassin was allegedly laughing and joked about how she was practicing for her driver’s test and suggested the partition windows be made smaller.

The officer struck by the squad car was taken to the hospital where he was treated and released for minor injuries.

Charges to Mocassin include second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, theft of a motor vehicle, criminal vehicular homicide and DWI.

Seth Johnson,
Fergus Falls Daily Journal