Some people in North Dakota make bad decisions when dealing with the drama and stress in their lives. No one really knows what’s going on in people’s lives that make them behave a certain way, but when someone uses violence and intimidation to solve a problem, it rarely ends well. Such may have been the case in a recent incident in Fargo, which led to a man facing a litany of serious criminal charges.
The incident and arrest
Around 2:30 a.m. on the morning of Feb. 18, Fargo Police were dispatched to the 0 Block of North Terrace N., where there had apparently been a report of suspicious activity. Officers located the suspect vehicle and tried to initiate a traffic stop on 2nd St. N. At first, the driver, police say a 45-year-old man from Moorhead, pulled into a parking lot and looked as though he was going to comply with the traffic stop. Law enforcement authorities say he chose to flee instead, but his escape was blocked by a large snowbank.
Officers say they ordered the driver out of the car, but he refused. The man had a female passenger in the car, and she was screaming and trying to exit the vehicle as officers tried unsuccessfully to get the man to exit the vehicle. The driver reportedly said he had a firearm in his possession, and officers claim he had the female in a chokehold inside the car. Officers say they deployed a Taser to subdue the driver and rescue the woman. She was taken to the hospital for unspecified injuries, and the driver was arrested.
Charges and defense
The driver faces charges of kidnapping, aggravated domestic violence, felony preventing arrest, DUI, driving under suspension and fleeing in a motor vehicle. No word was given as to his arraignment or any other court dates. Considering the serious charges against him, the man will want to work closely with an experienced criminal defense attorney in North Dakota for help in devising the most effective defense strategy possible.
