The Benton County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in identifying a person involved in stealing a Jeep Grand Cherokee and a wood chipper early Wednesday night.

Benton County Chief Deputy Troy Heck says a deputy in an unmarked car was driving on Highway 10 between Rice and Royalton around 7:10 p.m. Wednesday when he saw a jeep towing a wood chipper pulled over on the side of the road. The deputy turned around to help the driver, who he thought was having car trouble, when the driver got back into the vehicle and sped off.

Heck says the deputy said the Jeep was travelling so fast the trailer pulling the wood chipper was fishtailing back and forth across the lanes of traffic. A short chase ensued before the driver lost control of the vehicle and drove into a road ditch and then a farm field.

The driver then took off on foot into a wooded area. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search of the area, but was not able to find the suspect.

Heck says the deputies found the jeep was stolen from Minnetonka and the wood chipper was stolen from the Department of Natural Resources’ Sauk Rapids Office.

Anyone with information on the crime is asked to contact the Benton County Sheriff’s Office or the Tri-County Crime Stoppers.