An Albert Lea man who led officers on a motorcycle chase in July 2016 was placed on probation for three years Friday in Freeborn County District Court.

Jordon Allen VanRyswyk, 31, was sentenced after he pleaded guilty in April to fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle. He was given a stayed prison sentence of one year and one day in prison. The sentence followed the recommended sentence based on the severity level of the crime and VanRyswyk’s criminal history score.

Prior to sentencing, Assistant Freeborn County Attorney Abigail Lambert expressed concern about VanRyswyk’s amenability to probation and said he missed pre-sentence investigation appointments and claimed police conducted an illegal traffic stop on him. She noted VanRyswyk had three pre-trial violations before he pleaded guilty and had said growing marijuana was his “one true purpose in life.”

Lawyer Grant Sanders requested Judge Steven Schwab follow the agreed probationary sentence.

Court documents state VanRyswyk was charged after an officer was on routine patrol at about 8:30 p.m. July 29, 2016, when he saw a man riding a motorcycle in the city park near Minnesota Highway 13.

At one point, the officer reportedly activated his emergency lights as the motorcycle drove away at about 60 mph. Later in the pursuit, the officer activated his sirens, and VanRyswyk pulled away, sped up and drove through the backyard of a residence, before crossing 220th Street and heading south on Seath Drive, court documents state.

VanRyswyk later drove through another yard, and the motorcycle stalled after heading toward a cornfield, court documents state. The motorcycle then restarted and drove through a cornfield. After veering left into a heavily wooded area south of 220th Street, VanRyswyk was arrested. He was taken to Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea due to a wrist injury.

In separate files, VanRyswyk was charged with fifth-degree meth possession, fifth-degree marijuana sale, fifth-degree controlled substance possession and possessing drug paraphernalia, but those charges were dismissed.