Senator's Son Arrested in N.M.

Sept. 27 -- The 22-year-old son of Sen. Rod Grams is facing charges of theft and eluding arrest after police caught him, a runaway and another friend with a stolen car loaded with silver, antique coins and a gun, authorities said.

The Minnesota Republican’s son, Morgan Grams, was arrested Tuesday at a Super 8 Motel in Las Cruces, N.M., New Mexico state police said. Also arrested were Mark Anderson, 18, and a 15-year-old girl described as a runaway from Minnesota.

State police said they became suspicious when they saw the trio acting nervous in a car outside a fast-food restaurant. A license plate check revealed the car had been stolen, so officers tracked the group back to the hotel, police said.

Stolen Silver, Antique Coins Found

When officers knocked on the motel room’s door and called the room from the front desk, Morgan Grams jumped out the third-story window and tried to hide, police said. Anderson and the girl surrendered when officers entered the room.

Police dogs found the senator’s son 10 minutes later behind the hotel, suffering from a broken left ankle, police said.

Police said they found more than $2,500 worth of stolen silver bars, silver and antique coins and a 12-gauge shotgun in the car.

Grams was treated for his ankle injury and was being held on $52,000 bail at the Dora Ana Detention Center on counts of eluding and resisting arrest, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of stolen property over $2,500, and possession of a stolen motor vehicle. Anderson was being held on $51,000 bail for the same charges, except for eluding arrest.

The 15-year-old wasn’t charged. She was taken to the Dona Ana County Juvenile Detention Center and was to be returned to Minnesota. The girl’s mother said her daughter called from New Mexico after the arrests, saying “she was fine, she just wanted to come home.”

Past Run-Ins With the Law

Grams also is wanted in Anoka County, Minn., on two warrants. The first alleges third-degree criminal damageto property, a gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor disorderly conduct. The second is a felony warrant formotor vehicle use without consent, offering forged checks andfinancial transaction card fraud.