Fugitive who fired 10 shots at pursuing officers secures bond
On June 5 a state trooper attempted to stop a car for speeding and driving on the shoulder of I-35E in St. Paul. The driver, Pablo Nava Jaimes, 30, of Minneapolis, fled at speeds approaching 100 mph. While in traffic on I-35E, Jaimes fired at least one shot at the pursuing trooper before exiting the freeway into White Bear Lake. White Bear Lake officers took over the pursuit and were shot at an additional 9 times on Birch Lake Boulevard. No officers were injured by these gunshots fired at them. Jaimes eventually stopped and fled on foot before being apprehended by K-9. His gun was recovered on the foot chase route.
Jaimes was charged in Ramsey County District Court with 3 counts of 1st Degree Assault Using Deadly Force Against a Peace Officer, and 2 counts of Drive-By Shooting at an Occupied Vehicle. His bail was set at $5 million.
Investigation revealed that at the time of the June 5th shooting, Jaimes was wanted on a felony warrant out of Hennepin County for an incident on Christmas Day 2021. In that case, Jaimes was observed by the State Patrol speeding at approximately 90 mph. When they stopped Jaimes they determined he was intoxicated and arrested him. During a search of Jaimes and his vehicle, they recovered methamphetamine, alcohol, and a loaded handgun. The Hennepin County Attorney later charged Jaimes with 1st Degree Possession of a Controlled Substance and Open Bottle. Jaimes was eventually released from the Hennepin County Jail, but failed to appear at a subsequent hearing, resulting in his warrant.
Are we really serious about crime?
In steps Ramsey County District Court Judge Kellie Charles, recently appointed to the Bench by Governor Walz after serving as an assistant public defender in Hennepin County. Armed with full knowledge of the facts, and against the arguments by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, Judge Charles lowered Jaimes’ bail from $5,000,000 to $100,000. On June 14th Jaimes secured bond from “The Bail Bond Doctor” to facilitate release from the Ramsey County Jail. He is to report to his next court appearance on July 6th.
Hennepin County, not to be outdone, dropped its warrant and issued Jaimes a new court appearance. Jaimes is to appear by Zoom on June 30th.
The actions of the Courts involving Jaimes are appalling. They show a complete lack of seriousness towards public safety and are examples of a system that is failing us with concerning frequency.
Update – Per Alpha News reporting on 6/16/22 – Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed they “encountered Jaimes at the Ramsey County Jail” where he “remains in custody” on an immigration detainer. Jaimes has reportedly been subject to 7 previous deportations.