BISMARCK, ND ( KXNET ) — Police in Bismarck arrested three people this week after a call for a stolen vehicle.

But it started when one man said he was just visiting his mother. That would lead to a chaotic 48 hours for officers, including a foot chase and a lengthy standoff.

“I went to my mom’s house to meet the plumber. There’s no place to park. So, I parked in the yard,” Randy Higgins said.

For Higgins, what was supposed to be a visit to his mother’s house in Bismarck turned into a real mess.

“I should’ve pulled the keys out of it, but I didn’t think I’d have to worry if it was in her yard,” Higgins said.

In the time he was inside, Higgins says someone hopped into the driver’s seat of his Honda UTV and took off.

“They must’ve taken it to a house close to my mom’s. They ripped the side panels off, they ripped the stereo out, and pretty much wrecked it,” Higgins said.

“And he said, ‘No,’ somebody stole my side-by-side UTV. I’m down at my mom’s house in town,” Higgins’ friend Darren Berger said.

Higgins said he called Berger for a ride. But Berger didn’t know at the time was he was about to be roped into a police pursuit.

“I was down River Road where you turn to go to Fraine Barracks. And I see this camouflage UTV coming, which I’ve seen 100 times when I’ve seen Randy driving it,” Berger said.

Berger then called dispatch, easily recognizing Higgins’ UTV by the hard-to-miss Trump license plate.

“I said, ‘I’m following a stolen UTV, we’re going north on River Road,'” Berger said. “He said, ‘Well, how do you know it’s stolen?’ I said because I was just on my way into town to pick up my friend who just had it stolen from him.”

Berger says the thieves soon got wise they were being followed as he says they took a sharp turn into the hilltop walking path off River Road.

“So, I parked my big pickup sideways, right by the gate, so nobody could get in or out until the first police officer arrived,” Berger said.

Bismarck police say three people were involved in the stolen UTV before they ditched it at the top of Chief Lookings Village. That’s when police say they took off running. And officers chased two of the people down the steep hill, before arresting two of them near Pioneer Park. One of them was Alec Eagle.

“And then I find out later that the two that they caught, really weren’t the ones who stole it,” Higgins said. “Some other guy stole it, and must’ve given it to them after that.”

Higgins didn’t know at the time, but police were looking for Darrell White Lightning. He would later be arrested hiding out in a home along Summit Boulevard in Bismarck.

“They said the keys were in a backpack, they had a K9 dog with this deputy, nice guy. They went down the hill and it was hot out. They found it. It had my keys in it, and my garage door openers,” Higgins said.

Higgins has his Honda back, he’s also been busy on the phone with the police and with his insurance agent. He says the damage will cost him over $10,000. He admits he owes his friend Berger a favor, but both men agree that downtown Bismarck is becoming less safe.

“And the crime that’s going on in downtown Bismarck just seems to be only increasing, unfortunately. It’s certainly noticeable if you spend any time in that downtown area,” Berger said.

Higgins says he’s especially thankful for the quick work of Bismarck police officers Darrin Heinert, Jesse Hellman, and Anthony Versfelt who helped with the investigation.

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Today's Top Stories

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KX NEWS.