Cass Lake Man Charged After Foot Chase

CASS LAKE (trfnews.i234.me) — A man faces felony drug charges after an alleged foot chase in Cass Lake.

Derek James Hunt, 44, of Onamia, was charged in Cass County District Court.

He faces one felony count of fifth-degree controlled substance possession.

Hunt also faces one misdemeanor count of fleeing an officer without using a vehicle.

The charges are allegations. Hunt is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Deputies Locate Hunt in Cass Lake

According to the complaint, deputies received information about Hunt’s location on May 30, 2026.

Authorities said Hunt had an active arrest warrant from Beltrami County.

Deputies reportedly found Hunt near a home on Basswood Avenue in Cass Lake.

The complaint states Hunt entered an alley after noticing law enforcement nearby.

A deputy left an unmarked vehicle and identified himself as a sheriff’s office employee.

The deputy then ordered Hunt to walk toward him, according to the complaint.

Hunt allegedly ran from the area instead.

Derek James Hunt

Deputies later saw Hunt attempting to enter the original residence, court records state.

Another law enforcement vehicle arrived with emergency lights and sirens activated.

Hunt allegedly ran from officers a second time.

A deputy caught up with Hunt after he stopped running and fell to the ground.

Hunt was then arrested without further reported trouble.

A search following the arrest allegedly uncovered a substance on Hunt.

The substance tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the criminal complaint.

Authorities reported the substance weighed 0.51 grams with packaging.

Methamphetamine is listed as a Schedule II controlled substance under Minnesota law.

The felony charge carries a possible five-year prison sentence.

It also carries a possible $10,000 fine, or both penalties.

The fleeing charge carries up to 90 days in jail.

That misdemeanor also carries a possible fine of up to $1,000.

The complaint lists three earlier controlled substance convictions involving Hunt.

Those cases were filed in Morrison, Hubbard, and Cass counties.

Readers can review Minnesota laws through the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes.

Public court information is available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch.

The complaint contains one conflicting date for the fleeing charge.

One section lists May 30, 2025, while other sections list May 30, 2026.

I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.