WEST FARGO, N.D. — An 18-year-old from West Fargo is alive, with a wild story to tell, thanks to a Minnesota State Trooper and other law enforcement personnel who stepped in when he needed them most.
Minnesota State Patrol spokesman Sgt. Jesse Grabow says the saga unfolded on Tuesday, Sept. 17 when 18-year-old Sam Dutcher was driving in the Fargo area when his 2022 Honda Pilot malfunctioned and refused to stop. Dutcher called 911, telling dispatchers the SUV was continuing to accelerate despite his trying to turn it off, put the transmission in neutral, and slow it with both the braking system and the emergency brake.
"Nobody is expecting a car to be coming at them 113 miles per hour on a 55 mile-per-hour road," said Trooper Zach Gruver, who helped save Sam. "My only thought to get him stopped was to get in front of him."
Clay County Deputy Zach Johnson joined the effort, talking with Sam on the phone and trying to troubleshoot as the SUV tore eastbound on a county road doing between 80 and 90 mph.
Trooper Gruver knew there wasn't much time, as the road would soon come to a T and the teen driver would most certainly crash. The trooper once again sped in front of Sam, and communicating with Deputy Johnson, told the teen to run into the back of his squad. Trooper Gruver paced the approaching SUV, was struck, and firmly applied his brakes until both vehicles came to a stop.
"There was a lot of factors that were not in our favor and all of them worked out, fortunately," said Trooper Gruver.
Clay County Sheriff Mark Empting told KARE 11 how proud he was of the responding deputies and Trooper Gruver.
"Would I call them heroes? Definitely," said Sheriff Empting. "The work they do out there every day, I think is heroic and they need to take their five minutes of fame right now."
Sam and his mom got to meet Trooper Gruver a few days after the incident, thankful for his bravery.
"I walked up and he went to stick his hand to shake my hand and I’m like, 'No, seriously you’re getting a hug,'" said Catherine Dutcher. "You saved my kid."
Sam is seeing a chiropractor for some lingering pain and a counselor for trauma as he's experiencing nightmares from it all.
"I’m very thankful that they stopped me," said Sam. "I felt a sense of relief, but I also started to freak out then."
Catherine is even more thankful Trooper Gruver put his life on the line as the 30-year-old is about to become a father for the first time any day. His wife's due date was Tuesday.
"I did what every single other officer, deputy or trooper would have done in this situation," said Trooper Gruver.