State Highway Patrol Aircraft operations leads to arrest of man who fled traffic stop

(Bismarck, ND) -- A Bismarck resident is in police custody following a joint traffic detail that occurred on Monday.

Officials say a North Dakota Highway Patrol (NDHP) airplane was monitoring traffic stops conducted by Bismarck Police Department on August 15th when 32-year-old Bismarck resident Brandon Schweitzer was stopped on his motorcycle. NDHP officials say Schweitzer traveled around Bismarck and Mandan following his initial departure. 

The NDHP airplane says Schweitzer left his motorcycle, entered the passenger side of a vehicle, and was eventually stopped again by authorities. That is when authorities say a female driver exited the vehicle, and the passenger entered the driver's seat and left the scene with the vehicle. Officials in the airplane say the driver continued to travel around Bismarck and Mandan, and eventually came to a stop along North Bell Street in Bismarck. 

NDHP troopers were on the scene and deployed spike strips, which disabled the vehicle's front tires. The vehicle fled officials again, drove to and stopped in the area near East Boulevard Avenue and 26th Street in Bismarck. Officials eventually took Schweitzer into custody at the scene. 

The incident remains under investigation by the North Dakota Highway Patrol.