Otter Tail County (trfnews.i234.me) – A Waseca man is facing multiple charges after an alleged hit-and-run, DWI, and assault on officers at a Perham hotel.
According to the criminal complaint, the incident began on August 11 at 6:38 p.m. A man called police to report that a pickup had struck the rear of his vehicle and fled.
Officers tracked the suspect, Joshua David Gehloff, to the GrandStay Hotel in Perham. In the parking lot, Gehloff admitted to hitting the other vehicle but said he fled because he feared going to jail.
Police say Gehloff admitted to drinking before the crash. They also learned he was required to have an ignition interlock device, but none was installed in his vehicle.
When asked to take a field sobriety test, Gehloff allegedly refused, saying he would fail. He was told he was under arrest and began resisting. Officers say he fought attempts to handcuff him, spat on both an officer and a deputy, and kicked an officer. One deputy suffered a bloody nose.
Gehloff was placed in a squad car and allegedly directed a racial slur at a deputy. During transport, police say he threatened to come after them once released.
The complaint states Gehloff has a prior DWI conviction. His blood alcohol concentration tested at 0.237—nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08.
Gehloff is charged with two felony counts of assaulting a peace officer, gross misdemeanor DWI, and misdemeanor failure to report a traffic collision.
Under Minnesota law, assaulting a peace officer can carry up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
For more details on Minnesota DWI laws, visit the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
