Stearns County, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – A Clearwater man is facing felony and gross misdemeanor charges after allegedly intentionally swerving his pickup truck into a motorcyclist in St. Cloud, causing a crash that left the rider injured.
Christopher Ian Gohmann, 36, is charged in Stearns County with:
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Second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon (felony)
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Criminal vehicular operation causing bodily harm through gross negligence (gross misdemeanor)
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Criminal vehicular operation causing bodily harm and leaving the scene of a collision (gross misdemeanor)
The incident occurred Tuesday evening, July 29, on Division Street in St. Cloud. Police were called at 7:45 p.m. for a reported hit-and-run involving a motorcycle.
Responding officers found the motorcyclist with visible scrapes and road rash on his arm. The victim stated he had been stopped at a red light when a red pickup truck pulled up next to him. As the light turned green, the truck allegedly swerved toward him twice, forcing him into a median curb. The rider was thrown from his motorcycle into oncoming traffic, sustaining injuries.
Multiple witnesses told police they saw the incident and believed the truck’s actions were intentional. One rider reported that the driver gave the motorcyclist the middle finger before swerving into his lane. Another described the maneuver as an “extreme swerve” followed by the truck speeding off without stopping.
A motorcyclist who witnessed the crash reportedly followed the truck to Highway 23 and Lincoln Avenue, where he confronted the driver, later identified as Gohmann.
When questioned by authorities, Gohmann allegedly admitted to the maneuver, claiming he disapproved of lane filtering and was trying to stop the rider from doing it.
Gohmann is currently being held on an order of detention. If convicted, he faces:
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Up to 7 years in prison for the felony assault charge
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Up to 364 days in jail for each gross misdemeanor
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.