A juvenile from Duluth was apprehended after striking another juvenile with his car in downtown Cloquet and fleeing the scene.
The 17-year-old youth is facing charges of two felony counts of second-degree assault in two separate incidents that occurred on the same day, as well as two misdemeanor counts of hit and run as a result of one of the incidents.
According to the report filed in the first incident, Cloquet squads were called at approximately 12:07 p.m. on Sept. 8 to respond to the area of the 100 block of 14th Street in Cloquet for what was initially thought to be a hit and run.
Officers observed that a vehicle had been traveling north in the alley that runs north and south between 14th and 15th streets. It appeared that as the vehicle exited the alley at Avenue F, it struck a vehicle that was legally parked on the north side of Avenue F before fleeing the scene. The vehicle had minor damage to its rear bumper.
Then, at approximately 1:30 p.m., a Cloquet police detective received a call from the principal of the Cloquet Area Alternative Education Program stating that a female student had reported to him that she had been hit by a vehicle and was exhibiting signs of injury.
ADVERTISEMENT
While interviewing the student, police learned that she had been hit and knocked down by a vehicle, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries. She told officers that she and a friend were walking in an alley when the driver of a vehicle allegedly tried to hit her friend but missed and hit her instead. She then identified the driver, saying she had known him in the past and recognized him.
Around 4 p.m. that same day, officers were notified regarding a call to Fond du Lac Police reporting suspicious activity in the area of Brookston and Jarvi roads. A complainant reported he had been following the driver of a black SUV who he identified as the same person implicated in the earlier incident in downtown Cloquet. He said the driver displayed a handgun at one point and later pointed what looked to be a long gun at him as well.
The SUV was later located at Wal-Mart in Cloquet and displayed evidence of front end damage. The driver was also found coming out of the store and was questioned and apprehended by police. He was then transported to the Arrowhead Juvenile Center and booked on second-degree assault charges.
Carlton County Attorney Thom Pertler said his office has initiated the process of having the juvenile certified as an adult, a process which is expected to take 30 days.
