MINNEAPOLIS — Editor's note: The above video first aired Sept. 19, 2022.
The 20-year-old man accused of leading former Minneapolis police officer Brian Cummings on a high-speed chase, ending in the death of an innocent driver, is now in custody.
James Jones-Drain was arrested Tuesday on multiple outstanding warrants, including homicide, robbery, fleeing in a motor vehicle and vehicle theft, according to court documents.
A warrant was issued back in September of 2022 for Jones-Drain with charges of fleeing a police officer that resulted in death, and two counts of vehicle theft after a police pursuit ended in a crash that killed Leneal Frazier. The crash occurred after Cummings ran a red light and slammed into a Jeep being driven by Frazier. Cummings is still awaiting trial on manslaughter and criminal vehicular homicide charges.
Jones-Drain was arrested Tuesday during a traffic stop in north Minneapolis after officers were alerted to his location through electric surveillance, which was authoritized due to his "extensive criminal history," the complaint reads.
According to court documents, officers located Jones-Drain outside a residence in north Minneapolis, and saw him get into a vehicle with another individual. Police followed the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop, where they made contact with the driver and Jones-Drain. The complaint says Jones-Drain refused to identify himself, but police arrested him for the 12 outstanding warrants.
While making the arrest, officers saw a black semi-automatic handgun in Jones-Drain's back pocket, according to the complaint. Jones-Drain has since been charged with illegally possessing a firearm.
In September, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office filed charges for Jones-Drain's connection in the pursuit that resulted in the crash that killed Frazier.
According to the criminal complaint, Jones-Drain and an accomplice are seen on surveillance video stealing a Kia from a woman at the Target on Lake Street three days before the fatal crash.
With the assistance of the FBI's cellular analysis survey team, investigators were able to determine Jones-Drain's phone was in the areas associated with the high-speed chase and crash. In addition, Jones-Drain is charged with robbing four businesses in the hours leading up to the crash, with surveillance video capturing him driving the Kia.
Officers eventually found the Kia in September 2021 in south Minneapolis. The court papers say it smelled like sulfur and appeared that a cleaning agent had been splashed around inside in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence. However, MPD's crime lab was able to find a fingerprint matching Jones-Drain on the rear driver's side door.
The charge of fleeing an officer, resulting in death, carries up to 40 years in prison. The two new felony theft charges regarding the carjacking of the Kia each carry 10 years in prison.
Cummings' trial was set to begin in August but got postponed because of scheduling conflicts until May 2023.
Watch more local news:
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities in our YouTube playlist: