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MONTICELLO — A South Dakota man wanted in another state on drug-related crimes is now facing charges in Utah after allegedly fleeing from police at over 100 mph and being caught with more drugs.
Sebastian Robert Falkenberg, 25, of Sioux Falls, was charged April 16 in Utah's 7th District Court with over a dozen crimes, including drug possession with intent to distribute, a second-degree felony; possession of a weapon by a restricted person and failing to stop at the command of police, third-degree felonies; and going 135 mph in a 55-mph zone, an infraction. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday.
According to charging documents, Falkenberg was spotted on April 11 speeding on Main Street in Monticello.
"The officer attempted a traffic stop. The suspect vehicle sped up and passed vehicles on a double yellow. A chase ensued where the suspect vehicle was going over 135 mph," the charges state.
The officer stopped chasing the vehicle for safety reasons as it continued to flee down Highway 191. A Blanding police officer was able to successfully spike at least one of the fleeing car's tires a short time later. But Falkenberg kept driving, according to the charges.
"Officers lost sight of the vehicle and we could not locate it after spiking the suspect vehicle. We were able to get a plate from the vehicle and the plate was registered to a different vehicle. ...We were able to confirm he put someone else's plates on the vehicle," a police booking affidavit states.
The next day, police received a tip from a store in Bluff that a man was there fixing "flat tires," the affidavit states.
Police found Falkenberg, who "resisted arrest," according to the affidavit. He was eventually taken into custody. In his vehicle, officers found marijuana and cocaine and nearly $27,000 cash, the affidavit states.
According to police, Falkenberg has a no bail warrant for his arrest in another state.
In 2022, Falkenberg and another man were arrested in Nebraska for allegedly possessing drugs, as the two were traveling back to South Dakota from Colorado.
