PENNINGTON COUNTY, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – Paul Gregory Piche, 37, of Thief River Falls, has pleaded guilty to first-degree assault following a violent encounter on May 23, 2022, where he struck a motorcyclist twice with his pickup truck. Originally charged with attempted second-degree murder and other felonies, Piche entered a Norgaard plea, acknowledging enough evidence for conviction but claiming he doesn’t remember the incident due to intoxication.
The altercation began when Piche allegedly followed a woman in his truck, prompting her to seek help from her husband at the Seven Clans Casino. Security footage captured Piche ramming the husband’s motorcycle, injuring him. Piche was arrested after a high-speed chase and a subsequent felony stop. Sentencing is set for September 17, with other charges expected to be dismissed under the plea agreement.