GRAND FORKS, N.D. (NDHP) – On January 2, 2026, at 5:39 p.m., dispatch received a 911 call reporting an erratic driver in Grand Forks County.

A North Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper (NDHP) located the vehicle south of the city of Grand Forks at mile marker 138 on I-29; the vehicle stopped prior to the trooper turning on red and blue lights to indicate a traffic stop. The trooper approached the vehicle, and requested the driver exit the vehicle. The driver refused and fled in the vehicle.

The Trooper then pursued the vehicle for approximately one mile and while in pursuit, the driver’s vehicle became stuck in the median. The driver was pronounced deceased at the scene from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. I-29 was shut down at 6:00 p.m. and reopened to one lane at 6:20 p.m.

In addition to NDHP, Grand Forks Police Department, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NDBCI) and Grand Forks Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident. No law enforcement officers discharged their firearm during this incident. NDBCI is assisting with the investigation. No additional information is currently available.

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