University Police officers were forced to draw their firearms as paranoia struck a man driving around the West Bank the morning of March 22.
Driving a late model Lincoln, Gerald Krulikosky tried to evade police by switching lanes on the 10th Avenue bridge. After turning quickly into the Seven Corners Apartments parking lot on the West Bank, he and a passenger ducked into the lobby.
“I thought, if he really has business in there, he’ll do it and leave,” said University Police Officer Eric Swanson. “But he walked right out.”
When the two got back into the car, the chase resumed.
Swanson and officer Kari Elliot drove around the block and caught up to Krulikosky’s car. Both driver and passenger nervously looked in the rearview mirror to see if the squad car was still following.
When officers finally pulled the car over, Swanson saw the suspect rummaging around in the back seat. Elliot and Swanson drew their weapons, but kept them at their sides.
The officers ordered the two to put their hands on the roof. The passenger complied; Krulikosky rolled up his window and took the key out of the ignition instead.
“Most people don’t plan when they get pulled over,” Swanson said. “This guy had a plan, but I cannot fathom what he was doing.”
Swanson told Krulikosky to roll down his window. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” Krulikosky said repeatedly, claiming that the window couldn’t be opened — even though he said he wanted to get out of the car.
When he finally got out, he immediately put his hands in his pockets and would not cooperate with orders to put them on his head.
“You’ve got to prepare yourself ahead of time,” Swanson said, whose gun was still out of its holster because of Krulikosky’s erratic and suspicious behavior, he said.
Once the two were detained, a search of Krulikosky’s car yielded a rifle, a baseball bat and an ice pick — which Swanson pointed out would penetrate a bullet-proof vest. Krulikosky claimed the rifle wasn’t his, but officers found a pawn shop tag with his name on it in the trunk of the car.
It was not the first time Krulikosky has tried to flee police — a background check found him to have an expired driver’s license and several charges of driving while intoxicated. His record also included charges of auto theft and narcotics sales.
“Looking back, I think it was prudent that the firearms were taken out,” Swanson said of his decision to draw his gun out of the holster.
The officers took Krulikosky to the Hennepin County Jail where he was charged with driving after revocation, obstruction of justice and disorderly conduct.
Swanson said he doubts Krulikosky is still there. “My guess is that he was out that day,” he said.
Krulikosky could not be reached for comment.
In other police news:
ùA man who has a history of living in and stealing from buildings on the St. Paul campus was arrested again Sunday.
“He likes to live in buildings in St. Paul, especially the greenhouses and attics,” said University Police Investigator Marianne Olson.
Robert Kenneth Forster, 35, was charged with burglary and trespassing in the Vocational and Technical Education Building Sunday.
Although he is not affiliated with the University, he was found with several University keys.
Olson said he steals the keys and uses them to get to other places where he will steal more or sleep for a night. He had stolen two University vehicles in the past.
He was also found with a knife, backpack, screwdriver and a watch.
Olson said she has been after Forster for a while, but has had difficulty gathering enough evidence to charge him with a serious enough crime to keep him in jail.
Forster could not be reached for comment.
ù A University student’s underwear was stolen not once, but twice in a two-week span from the laundry room in Middlebrook Hall.
Freshman graphic design student Alex Morken first had his briefs, socks and T-shirts stolen March 20 from a dryer. The thief rifled through the laundry for the best stuff and left it in a wet pile.
The second time the skivvie-stealer didn’t wait for the laundry to make it to the dryer — the underwear was taken directly from the washing machine.
“Most of what was stolen the second time was stuff that was replaced from the first incident,” said Morken. “It was nice stuff. I had Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Kline, Ralph Lauren underwear.”
Police have no suspects.