Princeton woman charged after leading law enforcement on chase to Milaca

Dec 27, 2025

A Princeton woman is facing charges in Kanabec County District Court after leading law enforcement on a chase into Mille Lacs County. Additionally, Jamie Lynn Otto, 38, is accused of crashing her Hummer into a squad car and leaving the scene. At approximately 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14, a motorist in a Mora bank parking lot flagged down a Kanabec County Sheriff's deputy to inform him that his sister had abandoned their mother at a North Branch gas station. After the motorist picked up his mother, they drove to her home in Foley; Otto followed them the whole way. Otto then followed him to his home in Pine City. He then drove to Mora, looking for assistance from law enforcement because he was afraid of Otto. The deputy tried to make contact with Otto, who was parked nearby. He approached on the driver's side and then the passenger side, but Otto would not put her car in park and lower the window. According to court records, Otto "mostly ignored (the deputy) and continued to look straight ahead, though she would occasionally turn to him and shake her head."

Another deputy arrived at the scene, parked behind Otto and activated his emergency lights. Otto drove forward slowly. Although both deputies approached Otto's Hummer and ordered her to stop, she drove around the block. When the deputies positioned their vehicles in front of her, she drove around them or made U-turns. "At one point, Defendant reversed her vehicle" into one of the squad cars. Eventually the deputies managed to block Otto in near Lake Street and Railroad Avenue. One of the deputies approached Otto's driver's side window, breaking it in an attempt to place the car in park. She then drove over the curb, knocking over a stop sign and a street sign.

Otto drove to Highway 65, went south, and then headed west on Highway 23 with deputies giving chase, keeping close to the 60 miles-per-hour speed limit. Once they hit Mille Lacs County, Mille Lacs officers joined in the pursuit. Near Bock, a Mille Lacs deputy deployed spike strips, but Otto drove around them. She drove through Bock, with officers giving chase. A second set of spike strips were set out, and again Otto continued, heading west on Highway 23. Outside of Bock, a trooper from the Minnesota State Patrol deployed spike strips again, heading north on Highway 169 North in Milaca. By this time, Otto had three deflated tires and her Hummer began to slow. She finally stopped her vehicle, exited and was arrested. Fleeing a police officer, the most serious charge Otto is facing, is a felony. She could be jailed for three years, pay a $5,000 fine or both.