Scanlon man faces charges after threatening girlfriend with deer rifle

A Scanlon man has been charged with one felony count of second-degree assault, two felony counts of domestic assault by strangulation and one felony count of terroristic threats after allegedly strangling, then threatening his live-in girlfriend with a deer rifle.

Craig Allen Lush, 30, made an initial appearance before Judge Dale Wolf last Wednesday. Assistant County Attorney Michael Boese informed Judge Wolf that when authorities were summoned to Lush’s home on Nov. 11, they discovered his girlfriend had sustained serious injuries to her neck. She stated that Lush had come home drunk and attempted to strangle her, both that night as well as the day before, and had pointed a Remington 270-caliber deer rifle at her.

Boese went on to point out that Lush had been sentenced on a DWI charge in December 2011 and was now in violation of his state sentence. He added Lush has also had prior charges for illegal consumption, public nuisance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident.

Boese then requested that bail be set at $50,000/$5,000 cash bond, adding if Lush posts bond and is released that he be required to abstain from hunting, guns and alcohol.

Public Defender Sonia Sturdevant requested that Lush be granted pre-trial release, however, pointing out that he is not likely to be a flight risk because he has a job in Cloquet, owns his own home and has had no prior warrants.

Judge Wolf went on to set bail at $40,000/$4,000 cash with the condition that if Lush posts bail he must surrender all firearms and obey the no contact order requiring him to stay away from the complainant.

Lush was scheduled for a subsequent court appearance on Monday, but the hearing was reset for Thursday, Dec. 13, at 9 a.m. at the request of his recently retained attorney, Chris Stocke of Duluth.

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