WILLMAR -- Bail was set at $1 million for the man accused of shooting at the Clara City police chief during a chase last week. He was arraigned in Kandiyohi County District Court Monday.
Enrique Villarreal Jr., 23, of Sacred Heart faces first-degree attempted murder charges among others for shooting at an on-duty police officer.
According to court documents, just after 12:30 a.m. Sept. 14, Villarreal and co-defendant, Oscar Flores, 27, of Sacred Heart, stole a truck from Sacred Heart after a night of drinking.
They then went to Clara City, where they stole another truck from the parking lot at Hooty's Bar, the criminal complaint says. The truck had a .22 caliber rifle and a .40 caliber handgun inside.
Clara City Police Chief Ralph Bradley chased the two to Raymond, where they pulled over, the complaint says. When Bradley got out of his vehicle, Flores, the driver, fled again, leading a chase northeast on state Highway 23 to Willmar.
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The complaint says that while the two drove around the Willmar bypass, Villarreal began shooting at Bradley, using both the rifle and the handgun. Flores later admitted to police that he shot the handgun out of the driver's window.
The two drove to Regency Estates West where Villarreal jumped out of the vehicle, pointed the rifle at the officer and then fled, the complaint says. Flores again took off and was later apprehended.
Villarreal fled the area and was finally arrested in Sioux Falls, S.D., on a commercial bus headed to Texas, the complaint says.
He waived extradition in Minnehaha County Court in Sioux Falls Thursday and was arraigned Monday on two counts of first-degree attempted murder, one count of first-degree attempted murder - aiding and abetting, one count of receiving stolen property and two counts of receiving stolen property - firearms.
His bail was set at $1 million by Judge Steven Drange.
Flores, who was arraigned Friday, is being held on $200,000 bail.
They are both being held at the Kandiyohi County Jail.
