Carlton man to serve 39 months for dragging officer

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A Carlton man will serve 39 months in prison for an incident last December in which he dragged an officer and led others on a high-speed chase that ended in a pit bull attack.

Warren Earl Barry, 32, apologized during sentencing in Carlton County District Court Monday.

"[Barry] sounded sincere," said Michael Boese, assistant Carlton County attorney. "The judge made note of it before appropriately chastising him for his behavior."

Barry's "behavior" on Dec. 8 resulted in charges of assault in the second degree, three counts of felony driving while impaired in the first degree, felony assault on a peace officer, fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and/or injury assault in the second degree, obstructing the legal process with force, and gross misdemeanor driving after cancellation.

In April, he pleaded guilty to felony second degree assault with a dangerous weapon, and first-degree driving while impaired as part of a plea agreement. The other charges were dismissed. He received concurrent sentences of 39 months for each charge.

"I believe justice was served today," Boese said.

Ryan Rennquist, the Carlton County Sheriff's deputy who stopped Barry that day, suffered injuries to his back, neck, arms and legs as when Barry fled the traffic stop. Rennquist, who is back on duty but receiving ongoing medical treatment, was not in the court room for sentencing. Boese said although Rennquist did not attend, they had kept in contact throughout the case.

Barry's sentence was expected under state guidelines for his charges, Boese said. Barry will also pay restitution for Rennquist's medical bills and damage that occurred to a squad car as the result of the high-speed chase.

According to the criminal complaint:

Carlton County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Rennquist saw Barry driving a pickup truck on the afternoon of Dec. 8 in downtown Carlton and stopped him after realizing Barry’s driving privileges had been canceled in Minnesota.

As Rennquist was talking to him, Barry inched his vehicle forward several times and although Rennquist told him to stop, Barry accelerated. As Rennquist attempted to grab the keys to turn off the vehicle, he was dragged along the road as Barry continued to drive. Rennquist was eventually flung off the side of the truck, falling on the ground and rolling close to oncoming traffic.

Barry then allegedly sped through the four-way stop in Carlton heading west on Highway 210. Another Sheriff’s deputy, Cale Suominen, pursued Barry driving at times 90 miles per hour in an attempt to catch up to him.

Nearly three miles later after turning on Kodiak Drive, Barry pulled into an apartment building parking lot and tried to run into the building. Suominen followed him through an open door but Barry reportedly tried to close it on him, causing him injury. Suominen fought his way through the door and the two became engaged in a scuffle. Barry’s pit bull jumped into the fray, biting Suominen in the leg while Barry began slamming the door on Suominen once again.

Sheriff’s deputies Soderstrom and Rennquist as well as Sgt. Paul Coughlin arrived on the scene and it took three of them and a taser to subdue Barry. Coughlin, who was also bitten in the leg, shot and wounded the pit bull, causing the animal to flee and run into some nearby trees. The animal was found alive in the woods two days later.

Barry was found to be using methamphetamine that day.

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