Felony assault charge dropped against Rush City man

ALEXANDRIA — A felony assault charge was dismissed against a Rush City man who was accused of driving his car toward a police officer's vehicle and hitting it.

Robert Joseph Herigon, 36, was charged with felony second degree assault in relation to the incident, which took place Sept. 17, 2020, at approximately 12:45 a.m.

The charge against him was dismissed on Tuesday, May 31, in Douglas County District Court.

According to the statement of probable cause, Alexandria police officers were asked to assist the task force with a vehicle stop on Herigon, who had just pulled into Hustad's Trailer Park.

An officer entered the park and could see Herigon, who hesitated for a split second before accelerating toward the officer's vehicle, the statement read.

Herigon drove his vehicle alongside the passenger side of the squad car, hitting it and damaging the entire passenger side, the statement read.

He also narrowly avoided hitting another officer's squad car as he was exiting the trailer park, the statement read.

While the assault charge was dismissed against Herigon, he was convicted of felony fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle. For this he was committed to the commissioner of corrections correctional facility in St. Cloud for 20 months, with 594 days credit for time served.

He also must pay $125 in fees.

This case is concurrent with two others for which Herigon appeared in court on Tuesday.

In the first case he was convicted of felony fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, for which he was committed to the commissioner of corrections correctional facility in St. Cloud for 20 months and must pay $125 in fees.

In the second case Herigon was convicted of controlled substance crime in the first degree — methamphetamine sale in excess of 17 grams. According to the statement of probable cause, Herigon had been arrested in October 2020 with baggies containing 46.5 grams of meth inclusive of packaging.

In this case he was committed to the commissioner of corrections correctional facility in St. Cloud for 110 months and must pay $125 in fees.