Eliezer Rodriguez (Hennepin County Jail)
Dalton, MN – At around 7:15 Saturday morning (June 8th), the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota State Patrol received reports of a suspicious person at the Hansel Lake Rest Area on I-94, southeast of Fergus Falls.
State Troopers determined that the vehicle the suspect, identified as 31-year-old Eliezer Rodriguez, was driving was linked to a serious assault and possible attempted homicide in Minneapolis.
An air, ground, and K9 search of the area was conducted, as well as a shelter in place advisory for Dalton.
At 2:41 Saturday afternoon, Rodriguez was spotted by an area resident near the rest area.
A ground team made up of Otter Tail County Deputies, Grant County Deputies, State Troopers, and MN DNR officers began tracking Rodriguez at that point and took him into custody within an hour, after a short foot pursuit.
Once cornered, he surrendered without incident and was transported to Lake Region Healthcare in Fergus Falls for a medical issue unrelated to his arrest.
After being released from the hospital, he was turned over to the custody of the Minneapolis Park Police and is being held in Hennepin County Jail.
Rodriguez is charged in Minneapolis with kidnapping, criminal sexual conduct, and carjacking.
As reported by Paul Jurgens (KFGO), Park Police say Rodriguez is accused of carjacking a woman at knifepoint last Friday afternoon on Cedar Lake Parkway, kidnapping and raping the victim.