Grand Forks man arrested after allegedly crashing stolen car into gas line

By Maia Labbe Today at 1:08 PM Listen Comments Share Share this article News Reporting News Reporting Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Trust Project What is this? GRAND FORKS — A Grand Forks man was arrested Tuesday for an incident in October where he allegedly stole a car then crashed it into a house and gas line. Elmi Abdikadir Elmi, 30, is charged with Class B felony theft, Class C felony contact by bodily fluids with an emergency responder, Class C felony reckless endangerment, Class A misdemeanor criminal mischief, Class B misdemeanor DUI and Class B misdemeanor driving under suspension. ADVERTISEMENT Elmi is in custody at the Grand Forks County Correctional Center. He had his initial appearance Thursday. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Dec. 21. According to court documents, officers from the Grand Forks Police Department responded to a call at 11:29 p.m., Oct. 27, for a motor vehicle crash. The car, a gray 2016 Audi TT, had allegedly struck a natural gas line outside a residence, causing it to leak. Nearby houses were evacuated. The vehicle also caused significant structural damage to the residence and hit a nearby street sign. According to court documents, Elmi was found in the driver’s seat and was transported to Altru Hospital. He allegedly spit in the eye of a paramedic and told paramedics he had been drinking alcohol. According to court documents, his license was suspended at the time of the accident. The owner of the vehicle said he did not know Elmi and that the car had been stolen from a residence. The car was worth about $16,000. According to court documents, it had disabling damage to the front portion. Comments Share Share this article News Reporting News Reporting Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Trust Project What is this? Tags Tags CRIME AND COURTS By Maia Labbe Maia Labbe is the cops and courts reporter for the Grand Forks Herald. She graduated from the University of Florida in 2025 with a B.S. in journalism. She previously worked as copy editor for the Independent Florida Alligator. She also was a producer for ESPN/WRUF in Gainesville, Florida. Listen to this article Conversation ADVERTISEMENT What To Read Next Local Grand Forks man charged with attempted murder for alleged strangulation 3h ago · By Maia Labbe Local Grand Forks school district expands career exploration opportunities for middle school students 7h ago · By Pamela Knudson Local Water shut off at Grand Forks strip mall following line break 21h ago · By Staff Report ADVERTISEMENT Get Local Must Reads Subscribers Only UND Hockey Get to know UND junior forward Gavin Lindberg 39m ago · By Brad Elliott Schlossman Breaking News North Dakota Audit raises concerns at North Dakota Veterans Home, including choking death caused by improper meal 1h ago · By Sav Kelly Arts and Entertainment Northern Valley Youth Orchestras fall concert set for Sunday 6h ago · By Pamela Knudson Community Today in History: Nov. 12, 1915 - The Herald's amateur motion picture play of "Lou" is completed 13h ago · By Staff reports