Suicidal sex offender charged in high-speed chase
Oudone Xiong
A convicted sex offender who caused a six-hour standoff with police by threatening to jump from a Mississippi River bridge last week faces a felony charge for leading police on a high-speed chase through Eagan.
Oudone Xiong, 37, of St. Paul, was charged by the Dakota County Attorney’s Office on Oct. 19 with fleeing from a peace officer in a motor vehicle, a felony.
According to police, Xiong was on probation in Ramsey County for first-degree criminal sexual conduct, and had allegedly told his probation officer on Oct. 16 he felt suicidal. The probation officer reported Xiong’s claim to police at 1:47 p.m. that day.
Eagan officers found Xiong parked behind a business near the intersection of Krestwood and Duckwood drives in Eagan.
Before they could approach Xiong, he drove away, according to the criminal complaint.
Two Eagan officers attempted to stop Xiong at about 2:35 p.m., but he allegedly ran through several red lights and continued to Interstate 35E where he led police on a chase that reached speeds of 90 mph.
When Xiong approached the I-35E bridge over the Mississippi River in Mendota Heights, he stopped suddenly, fled his truck and climbed to the other side of the railing which he clung to as he threatened to jump.
At some point, the Minnesota State Patrol, Mendota Heights Police and Fire, Apple Valley and St. Paul police, and Ramsey, Hennepin and Dakota county sheriff departments arrived.
The six-hour standoff caused traffic to be backed up between Mendota Heights and St. Paul.
By 8:30 p.m., officers from the Eagan Police hostage negotiation team convinced Xiong to come off the railing and be evaluated at Region’s Hospital.
Xiong is currently held in a Ramsey Count jail since the high-speed chase violated his probation.
If convicted, Xiong faces up to three years in prison.
Xiong was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony, in 2011 for engaging in sexual contact with a person under age 13.
