Barroom bragging lands snowmobiler in jail

Bragging in a bar will get you nowhere.

Snowmobiler Cody Vanlith, 22, Maple Lake, has no doubt taken this lesson to heart after his barroom tale ended up getting him arrested on Saturday night.

The story started on Friday, January 9, when the Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office attempted to stop a snowmobile for operating against traffic at night. The operator, Vanlith, attempted to flee on the snowmobile.

A struggle ensued between Vanlith and the deputy. Vanlith accelerated away, dragging the deputy across Highway 78. Deputies pursued the snowmobile for a short distance and lost contact.

The next evening, an off-duty Fergus Falls Police Department officer was having dinner with other off-duty officers at Playtime Bar and Grill when he conversed with a snowmobile rider who was also at the establishment. The off-duty officer had previous knowledge about the incident and knew of a partial description of the rider.

During the conversation, the snowmobile rider began bragging to the off-duty officer about getting away from the police and dragging a cop along the highway. He then told the off-duty officer that he wasn't going back to jail.

The off-duty officer contacted the sheriff's office with the information he had gathered, and deputies were able to locate the suspect at Playtime. The bragging snowmobiler, Vanlith, was discovered to match the description given from the previous night.

Vanlith was arrested for felony fleeing in a motor vehicle, among other charges. The snowmobile he was riding was impounded and will be forfeited for the fleeing offense.