St Louis County Deputy Gave Alleged Attacker Ride Before Assault – Charges Claim

HERMANTOWN, Minn. – A St. Louis County deputy was choked by a man after giving him a ride, charges say.

Gideon Joseph Martin, 37 of Duluth, was charged with Monday’s assault on a St. Louis County deputy. Martin allegedly wrapped his arms around the deputy’s neck from behind during an assault that lasted around 20 seconds, according to the charges. Martin then ran and spent four hours in a pine tree before he came down to surrender to law enforcement.

Before the assault, the criminal complaint said that authorities were called to a residence on Hermantown Road for reports of an unwanted person in a shed. A Hermantown police officer, a Proctor police officer, and the St. Louis County deputy responded to the area around 12:04 p.m., where they found Martin in a nearby field, “sitting in a camouflage print tarp with a brown backpack.”

According to the complaint, Martin told officers “that he was running from the police and was trying to get to Red Lake.” Martin was detained and questioned about the shed; but, the officers found “insufficient evidence” to connect him to the incident.

The Hermantown officer suspected that a backpack Martin had was connected to a separate crime. When the officer asked about Martin’s backpack, Martin began removing items to show what was inside. The criminal complaint said that Martin revealed a “jar with [a] white beverage that (Martin) called “milk honey.””

The complaint said that the St. Louis County deputy offered to give Martin a ride when he asked to be dropped off at another address on Willard Road. On the drive, the deputy received a call from the Hermantown officer who requested Martin’s backpack be confiscated “to obtain a search warrant to conduct a thorough search of the bag.” The deputy informed Martin he wouldn’t be able to take his backpack but could take the items inside.

At the Willard Road address, Martin “was upset that he did not have his milk honey but (the deputy) pointed out to (Martin) that the beverage was right in front of him,” according to the complaint. The argument continued and Martin “insisted his backpack should be returned to him.”

The complaint said that the deputy attempted to end the argument and leave, but Martin, “stepped in between the squad and (the deputy) telling (the deputy) he would not let him leave until (the deputy) returned (Martin’s) belongings.” After warning Martin he would be arrested if he continued, the deputy attempted to place him in handcuffs.

Martin resisted the deputy, according to the complaint, and attempted to sweep the deputy’s leg which brought them both to the ground. When the deputy rolled towards a ditch, Martin came from behind and wrapped his arms around the deputy’s neck.

The deputy reported he “could not breathe and was in fear for his life,” and struggled to call for help on his radio because he could no longer speak. When the deputy heard Martin “making statements about the milk honey,” the deputy “told (Martin) he would give him the beverage.”

Martin then loosened his grip and said, “You’ll give it back?”

The deputy got to his feet and told Martin he was under arrest, but Martin ran to adjoining property. Martin climbed a metal trailer “and eventually climbed into a nearby pine tree where he went over 25 feet up the tree.”

Other officers would arrive on-scene, but Martin spent about four hours in the tree, according to the complaint. Martin allegedly “prayed, sang, screamed, spoke gibberish, cursed, and ranted about various topics” before he came down and surrendered to law enforcement.

On Wednesday, Judge Leslie Beiers set Martin’s bail at $200,000. At the time of the assault, Martin was out on bond in at least two other cases.