UPDATED: Bank Robbery Suspect Flees Police, Later Apprehended After Felony Warrant
Updated: October 29, 2024, at 1 PM.
According to court documents, Wondemagegnehu pleaded guilty to Theft—value $1000 or less, and his fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle charge was dismissed on October 9, 2024. He was sentenced to 62 days in Dakota County Jail and was given credit for those 62 days already spent in jail. Additionally, he was placed on a three-year supervised probation with Dakota County Community Corrections.
Original Story - BURNSVILLE, MINNESOTA - On January 25, 2024, Burnsville Police were dispatched to a Well Fargo Bank in the City of Burnsville after they received notification of two panic alarms being triggered. According to the criminal complaint from the Dakota County Attorney's Office, dispatch was told that an individual, who would later be identified as 41-year-old Tesfa Wondemagegnehu, had entered the bank and demanded $50.00. Employees at the bank gave Wondemagegnehu the $50.00, and then he fled the bank before police arrived.
An officer, who was in an unmarked police SUV with lights and a siren, found Wondemagegnehu traveling in a vehicle near the incident location and began to follow the suspect. A short distance later, the officer activated their lights and siren and attempted to initiate a traffic stop on Wondemagegnehu. Wondemagegnehu didn't stop and instead began to speed up as he re-entered the freeway he had just exited. The pursuit of Wondemagegnehu lasted about a mile before the police terminated it. Another officer briefly attempted to pull the suspect over in a fully marked squad car with lights and a siren, but he did not stop.
The Dakota County Attorney's Office issued a nationwide warrant for Tesfa Wondemagegnehu's arrest for Felony Fleeing a Peace Officer in a Motor Vehicle just before 11:30 AM on January 26th. Dakota County Jail records show Northfield Police apprehended him that same day around 4:20 PM in Northfield, Minnesota.
Wondemagegnehu's felony charge comes with a sentence of 0 to 3 years, plus one day, and/or a fine of $1,500 to $5,000. His bond was set at $45,000 without conditions and $15,000 with conditions, which has not been paid yet. He remains in the Dakota County Jail. He can no longer visit any Wells Fargo Banks in Burnsville, Minnesota. His next court dates are February 7, 2024, at 10 AM and March 26, 2024, at 1:30 PM in Hasting, Minnesota. This remains an active case, and Wondemagegnehu is considered innocent until proven guilty.
Dakota County Jail
