WILTON – A Lignite man was arrested Monday on multiple charges after leading a McLean County Sheriff’s deputy on a pursuit that ended north of Bismarck after the deployment of a Grappler Police Bumper.

According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol, Colton Lauer, 20, Lignite, was traveling south on U.S. Highway 83, north of Wilton, early Monday morning. Lauer’s Chevy Cobalt neared a McLean County Sheriff patrol vehicle also traveling south and he would not pass the patrol vehicle once he was behind it. McLean County Sheriff’s Corporal Raymond Copeland, 43, Wilton, was driving the patrol car and pulled over to the side of the road, resulting in Lauer allegedly driving away at a high rate of speed.

Copeland then activated emergency lights and began to pursue Lauer into Burleigh County. After about 10 miles, Copeland deployed his Grappler Police Bumper, a device that wraps a net around a rear tire of a suspect’s vehicle to aid bringing it to a stop.

According to the Highway Patrol, after the grappler was deployed, both vehicles lost control and entered the west ditch.

Copeland’s vehicle overturned and came to rest on its roof. He was transported to Sanford Hospital in Bismarck for treatment of minor injuries. Lauer’s vehicle came to rest upright. He fled on foot before being arrested a short time later for one count of fleeing a police officer, driving under suspension and possession of methamphetamine paraphernalia. Lauer’s court appearance has not yet been scheduled based on court records.

Lauer had multiple outstanding warrants out of Ward County at the time of the pursuit due to the revocation of his probation and an order to apprehend filed on March 14, according to court reports. The cases involved three Class C felony convictions from 2023-early 2024 for unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, fleeing a peace officer-second or subsequent offense, and unauthorized use of a vehicle.