MURRAY COUNTY — A Garvin man was arrested Wednesday after a 45-mile vehicle pursuit through Murray and Cottonwood counties, the Murray County Sheriff’s Office said. Sean Eric Vanmeveren, of Garvin, was wanted in connection to vehicle and property thefts and police pursuits in several counties in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Around 8:23 a.m. Wednesday, Murray County deputies located a vehicle known to be driven by Vanmeveren, and set up a perimeter to try and make an arrest, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. Vanmeveren got into his vehicle, drove toward the deputies, and accelerated around them.

Deputies pursued Vanmeveren for about six miles to a rural Murray County farm site. Vanmeveren then left his vehicle, stole a vehicle from the farm site, and continued to lead law enforcement on a pursuit through rural Murray and Cottonwood counties, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Vanmeveren stole a second vehicle at a rural address near Westbrook, the Sheriff’s Office said. Law enforcement also pursued Vanmeveren into the city of Westbrook, which led to Westbrook-Walnut Grove High School being put on a brief lockdown, the Sheriff’s Office said.

The pursuit ended northwest of Dovray, and Vanmeveren was taken into custody without incident, the Sheriff’s Office said. The Sheriff’s Office said Vanmeveren made at least five attempts to ram pursuing law enforcement vehicles during the pursuit.

Vanmeveren was wanted in connection with vehicle thefts, property thefts and pursuits in Murray, Cottonwood, Redwood, Jackson, and Blue Earth counties in Minnesota, and in Emmet County, Iowa. Vanmeveren is being held pending his first court appearance, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Slayton Police, the Buffalo Ridge Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Cottonwood County Sheriff’s Office, the Pipestone County Sheriff’s Office, Westbrook Police, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and Westbrook Area Ambulance all assisted during the pursuit.