A 3-year-old boy was kidnapped in St. Paul earlier this month while his grandmother went inside a convenience store to pay for gas, authorities say.
The boy was in the back seat of her Pontiac when Miguel Tomas Rea, 28, hopped inside and took off, according to charges filed against him via warrant on Wednesday in Ramsey County District Court.
The child’s grandmother had left her vehicle at the gas pump while she went inside a Holiday station at 200 S. Wabasha St. to pay for the fuel around 9:20 p.m. Aug. 3, legal documents say.
Police responded to the West Side gas station to find the woman crying and shaking. She said she was baby-sitting her grandson that day and that no one else had permission to care for him or take her car, the criminal complaint said.
Officers found the vehicle about three blocks south of the top of the river bluff near Ohio Street and Plato Boulevard.
It was running and the 3-year-old boy was in the back seat, authorities say.
When police asked the child where the driver went, he pointed to an apartment complex across the street, the complaint said.
Authorities scoured surveillance footage from multiple Holiday station cameras to find video of Rea, legal documents say.
Footage revealed Rea arriving at the gas station in a black Honda and entering the Holiday, authorities say. After exiting the store, he briefly returned to the Honda before hopping in the woman’s Pontiac and taking off, the complaint said.
Someone else is seen following him in the Honda, authorities say.
Rea was arrested Monday after leading state troopers on a high-speed chase along freeways and city streets, charges say.
He finally crashed his vehicle on White Bear Avenue, and the chase continued on foot.
He was finally arrested after authorities say he and his girlfriend were found hiding in tall grass. He declined to give a statement to investigators, the complaint said.
The St. Paul man has a history of attempting to evade police, authorities say.
He has three convictions of fleeing police in a motor vehicle as well felony convictions for aggravated robbery and theft, the complaint said.
He now faces charges of kidnapping and theft of a motor vehicle.
He is expected to make his first court appearance on the charges Thursday.
No attorney was listed for him in court records.