Search fatalities

Matthew A. Norman

Age : 55

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 08/06/2026

Location : Railroad Landing, St. Croix River

City : Not Disclosed

County : Chisago

State : Minnesota

Agency : Chisago County Sheriff's Office

Officer(s) :Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Drowned

Event : Drowned duress during police pursuit

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

NARRATIVE:
On 08/06/2026, 55-year-old Matthew Norman of Rush City, Minnesota, drowned in the St. Croix River after Chisago County sheriff's deputies attempted to arrest him on an outstanding felony warrant and pursued him by vehicle to the river. His body was recovered downstream the following morning.
.
At approximately 5:56 p.m., Chisago County sheriff's deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle Norman was driving because he had an outstanding felony warrant in Chisago County. Norman drove away and deputies initiated a vehicle pursuit.
.
The pursuit continued to Railroad Landing on the St. Croix River. Norman drove down the boat ramp and drove his vehicle directly into the river. Deputies pursuing him saw Norman get out of the vehicle after it entered the water and begin swimming away from them.
.
Deputies eventually lost sight of Norman in the river. Multiple agencies launched an extensive search using ground and air resources, and the operation continued through the night.
.
Shortly after 9:00 a.m. on 08/07/2026, Chisago County Water Patrol deputies located Norman's body approximately one-eighth of a mile downstream from the location where his vehicle had entered the St. Croix River. Authorities subsequently publicly identified the dead man as Matthew Norman of Rush City.
.
Norman's death followed a continuous police encounter beginning with deputies attempting to take him into custody on the felony warrant, followed by a vehicle pursuit, Norman driving into the river, and his attempt to escape the pursuing deputies by swimming away. Although a vehicle pursuit directly preceded the death, Norman did not die from crash injuries; the fatal mechanism was drowning after he entered the St. Croix River.
.
OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Chisago County Sheriff's Office did not publicly identify the deputy or deputies who attempted to stop Norman or pursued him to Railroad Landing.
.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://krocnews.com/ixp/1172/p/minnesota-man-drowns-fleeing-deputies/