Rochester man arrested on crash, stolen vehicle charges

(ABC 6 News) – A Rochester man was arrested Saturday after failing to appear in Olmsted County Court on charges of possessing a stolen car and crashing into another driver last fall.

According to court documents filed Tuesday May 28, 31-year-old Austin Mortenson was taken into custody at The Landing May 25.

Court documents allege that at the time of his arrest Saturday, Mortenson had a live 9mm round in a pocket.

He was charged with felon in possession of ammunition, according to court documents.

Mortenson had two warrants issued for his arrest in early 2024, after failing to appear for hearings in a hit-and-run crash case, as well as an incident involving a BB gun at a 7th Street gas station.

According to court records, Mortenson faces one charge of carrying a BB gun/rifle in a public place dating back to Oct. 2023, when he allegedly displayed a silver BB gun in his waistband to another person at the gas station.

He failed to appear in court on the single charge in March of 2024, and a first warrant was issued for his arrest.

Mortenson also faces five charges related to a hit-and-run crash in November of 2023 — felony receiving stolen property; gross misdemeanor criminal vehicular operation–bodily harm, driver leaves scene of crash; and misdemeanor traffic collision–driver fails to stop; traffic collision–failure to notify owner of damage; and careless driving.

According to court documents, at about 1 a.m. Nov. 4, 2023, Rochester police responded to a crash at Fox Valley Drive SW and Salem Road, where three individuals were being treated by paramedics on scene.

According to court documents, the driver told police she was turning left on a flashing arrow, when a brownish truck entered the intersection at an “extremely high rate of speed” and struck her vehicle.

The driver in the truck did not stop, and sped west on Salem Road.

According to court documents, Rochester police received a call to Greenview Drive SW, where the truck had caused a “sizeable dent” in the brick wall of a building, and was abandoned.

Police allegedly searched the car and found documents belonging to Mortenson.

According to court documents, police allegedly contacted the truck’s registered owner, who had lent the vehicle who a friend shortly before it was stolen.

Mortenson failed to appear for a hearing on the crash charges, and a second arrest warrant was issued May 16.

He is scheduled to appear again on all charges June 11.