Suspect, Victim & Trooper Involved in Crashes And Shootings Tuesday in Fargo Identified

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — The suspect involved in two crashes that shutdown part of the interstate in Fargo Tuesday night is identified.

He is 28-year-old Maichael Yousa.

He was shot twice by a North Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper Miles Rhonemus after he fired at the trooper.

Rhonemus has been with the department since 2020.

Yousa is being held on a charge of aggravated reckless endangerment with formal charges expected Thursday

He is accused of rear-ending a motorcycle on I-94 and fleeing the scene.

The patrol says the motorcycle driver suffered life-threatening injuries.

Yousa later crashed into a another vehicle after fleeing from the trooper and firing a gun as he got out of his vehicle.

The trooper returned fire and shot him twice.

Yousa was treated at a hospital before being taken to jail.

The entire incident started with a report of shots fired from a balcony at an apartment near Essentia Health in south Fargo.

“It’s still under investigation. In terms that we got calls that someone was shooting from the balcony of that building. And that they were shooting in the direction of a similarly described vehicle,” said Fargo Police Chief David Zibolski.

It is believed Yousa lives in that apartment.

North Dakota BCI is investigating the officer-involved shooting and the trooper is on administrative leave.

The I-94 and I-29 tri-level was closed until nearly 10 p.m. during the investigation.

Friends and a GoFundMe account have identified the victim of the motorcycle crash.

They say Eric O’Meara of Horace was the “unfortunate victim of someone on a rampage through the F-M area Tuesday”.

O’Meara suffered a severe concussion and road rash all over his body.

He remains heavily sedated.

They say he is between jobs and has no health insurance.

Find a link to the fundraiser here.