Bail set for Crookston man charged with 2nd degree murder

Crookston, Minn. (WDAY TV) - A Crookston man is charged with 2nd degree murder after he allegedly stole a police cruiser and caused a fatal accident over the weekend. Bail for 23-year-old Ricardo Mello is set at $750-thousand dollars.

He's also facing charges of criminal vehicular homicide, motor vehicle theft, assault and obstruction of the legal process, all in connection with the crash.

Police say officers went to talk to Mello and another man on Saturday afternoon after reports they'd been threatening people and damaging cars. When Mello confronted officers, he was maced and tazed.

Despite that, he stole a police car, driving at a high rate of speed for about five blocks before losing control and hitting the driver's side of a pickup truck.

78-year-old Eddie Briggs from Thief River Falls died in the pickup and his wife was taken to the hospital.

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