Perham Man Sentenced for Spitting on an Officer While Resisting DWI Arrest

Joshua Gehloff. (OTCDF)

Perham, MN – A Perham man has been sentenced for spitting on a police officer while being arrested. On Monday, 37-year-old Joshua Gehloff was sentenced to three years of probation for 4^th Degree Assault of a Police Officer and DWI.

Prosecutors say that on August 11^th, Gehloff fled the scene of a crash and was located by Perham police in a hotel parking lot. Officers say they spoke with Gehloff, who admitted to the accident and that he’d been drinking before he drove. During the interaction, an officer learned that Gehloff had a former DWI and was supposed to be on ignition interlock, but the device was not installed in his vehicle. Court documents say Gehloff refused a field sobriety test and a breathalyzer, telling officers he would fail.

Police attempted to arrest Gehloff, but he physically resisted and was escorted to the ground. During the arrest, police say Gehloff spit on two officers, kicked at another, and struck a fourth officer in the nose. Gehloff was taken into custody and later submitted to a breath test, which showed he had a .237 blood alcohol content.

In September, Gehloff pleaded guilty to 4^th degree assault for transferring bodily fluids on a police officer and DWI. Charges of 4^th degree assault of a police officer causing demonstrable bodily harm and damaging an unattended vehicle were dismissed.