16-07-2025
Man charged with assaulting police officer, possessing drugs at Lincoln Center in St. Cloud
A St. Cloud police officer was at the Lincoln Center homeless shelter in the early morning hours of Monday, July 14, when he was reportedly hit during an altercation.
The St. Cloud Police Department responded to a fight shortly after midnight on July 14 at the homeless shelter, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Benton County Attorney's Office.
A staff member reportedly told authorities a father and son were fighting; however, the father said it was just "a tussle" when questioned by authorities, court records state.
The son, who was eventually arrested and charged in court, was later found embracing a woman, according to the statement of probable cause.
Officers asked the son, 39, to identify himself, but he refused, court records allege. Authorities then told the suspect he was under arrest and to put his hands behind his back, but the son reportedly didn't comply.
A St. Cloud police officer then reportedly grabbed the son's arm but the son pulled away, causing the officer to fall. The son allegedly continued to punch another officer in the face, according to the criminal complaint, causing a small cut inside the officer's mouth and blood on his lips.
The officer who fell got back up and wrapped his arms around the son's waist and brought him to the ground, according to the statement of probable cause. The suspect continued to resist the officer, allegedly kicking him in the process.
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The son's efforts to resist arrest didn't end there; he allegedly spit at a third officer, hitting the officer in the face.
The suspect was eventually arrested and booked at the Benton County Jail. Once at the jail, authorities found 17 pills believed to be either Percocet or counterfeit fentanyl.
His arrest comes after the son was convicted of a felony fifth-degree controlled substance crime in 2016.
The Benton County Attorney's Office filed felony charges of possessing a controlled substance, assaulting a police officer and throwing bodily fluids at a police officer. A gross misdemeanor charge or obstructing the legal process was also filed.
The son's bail is set at $25,000 without conditions, but it can be lowered to $10,000 if he doesn't consume alcohol or controlled substances.
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Corey Schmidt covers politics and courts for the St. Cloud Times. He can be reached at cschmidt@
This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Man injures police officer, has drugs at St. Cloud's Lincoln Center
