Man Arrested for Throwing Knife at Todd County Sergeant and Running from Staples Police

(Todd County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page)

Staples, MN – A man from Browerville is in custody for threatening a Staples Police Officer with a knife and fleeing the scene.

On Monday, 49-year-old Paul David Deboer made his first court appearance and was charged with 2^nd degree assault, 5^th degree possession of drugs, obstructing the legal process, and fleeing from a peace officer.

Todd County prosecutors say that at around 9:23 p.m. last Thursday, a Staples Police officer saw Deboer walking along 12^th Street NE and was informed by dispatch that he had a body-only warrant. The officer called Deboer out by name, which he ignored and walked away from the squad car.

The officer told Deboer to not walk away from them, then he turned around and pulled a knife from his hip. He was instructed to drop the knife, which Deboer responded to by squatting down and saying, “come take it from me.”

Court documents say other law enforcement arrived on the scene, and after multiple attempts to get Deboer to drop the knife and several warnings, officers fired rubber bullets at him. Deboer began running, leading officers on a foot chase through residential yards.

A state trooper deployed his taser, sending Deboer to the ground. Deboer then threw the knife at a Todd County Sergeant’s squad car, narrowly missing the Sergeant, who was outside the vehicle. Three officers then struggled to get Deboer into handcuffs as he continued to resist. On the scene, officers located a pipe on Deboer’s person and a plastic baggie with just over 9 grams of methamphetamine nearby.

Deboer requested to be taken to the hospital, where he was evaluated before being transferred to the Todd County Detention Center.