Charges: Man Accused Of Making Bomb Threat During Maplewood Standoff

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Cambridge man is facing felony charges after fleeing police, barricading himself inside an RV for several hours near Maplewood Mall and claiming to be in possession of an explosive device.

According to court documents, Dennis Vann, 42, said he had an improvised explosive device in his RV after leading police on a chase Wednesday. After a several-hour standoff near the mall on White Bear Avenue, Vann crawled out the window when officers deployed a chemical irritant inside the RV. He was then arrested.

Officers recovered a device from the RV that was shaped like a pig and had the words "f— the police" written on it. The device held a powder that police say appears to be an explosive.

RELATED: Police Arrest Dennis Vann After RV Standoff Near Maplewood Mall

Officers initially tried to pull Vann over for an outstanding arrest warrant before he fled. During the standoff, Vann allegedly told authorities "he didn't need a driver's license and is not required to follow the traffic laws as he is a free citizen."

When officers told Vann they would need to remove him from the vehicle if he didn't cooperate with police, Vann allegedly said that would be a "huge mistake" because "two people would die today." The Ramsey County SWAT team arrived on scene and used a robot to remove the RV's rear door.

Vann remains in custody. He faces one felony count of threats of violence and two felony counts of fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle.