Two men lead officers on high-speed chase after stealing frozen chicken strips, police say

SAINT CHARLES — Two men have been charged with multiple felonies after allegedly stealing from several businesses and leading police on a high-speed chase.

Kenny Neil Hansen, 24, and Adrian Harley Salerno, 27, of Bear Lake County, have each been charged with three felony counts of burglary, court records show. Additionally, Salerno has been charged with a single count of felony eluding an officer.

Bear Lake County Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a burglary at a restaurant in Saint Charles on the night of Sept. 26, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Deputies note in the affidavit that, upon arrival, they saw one of the building’s front windows had been “broken in.”

Deputies spoke with the owner of the restaurant, who told them that he had surveillance footage from the burglary showing two men enter the building. As the business owner and deputies were talking, a car “drove by slowly.” The owner told the deputies the two men inside the passing car appeared to be the two from the surveillance footage.

One deputy got into their patrol vehicle and pursued the car.

The car turned east onto North Beach Road. Then the vehicle turned out all of its lights, “blacking out” the roadway, and “took off” going around 100 mph in a 50-mph zone, the affidavit says.

During the pursuit, the deputy notes the vehicle was only clearly visible when its brake lights illuminated.

Police reports do not indicate how long the chase continued or how it was concluded, but when it did the men were identified through previous interactions with deputies.

The driver, Salerno, told deputies numerous times he did not understand his Miranda Rights, the affidavit says. So, deputies did not ask him any questions.

Hansen, the passenger, said he did not wish to talk after being informed of his rights. However, he said a short time later he wanted to talk to one of the deputies.

After again being informed of his rights, Hansen allegedly told deputies he and Salerno forced entry into the building and took items — which was confirmed by the surveillance footage provided by the business owner.

While searching the car, deputies found $38 cash under the driver’s seat and a bag of frozen chicken strips under the front passenger seat. Deputies confirmed the items under the two seats were taken from the restaurant.

Hansen then told officers he and Salerno had broken into two other local businesses earlier the same night, and had taken items from one of those business as well.

Deputies confirmed the second business had been burgled and identified Hansen and Salerno using surveillance from that business. They also discovered that some items had been broken at the third business.

One of the items stolen from the second business was found at the third, the affidavit says.

Both men were placed under arrest.

Though Salerno and Hansen have been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean they committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

If they are found guilty, Salerno could face up to 35 years in prison while Hansen faces up to 30.