1 day Ago By Olivia Estright
MANTORVILLE, Minn. — A Hayfield man accused of “intentionally steering” his vehicle into another car was sentenced to five years of probation. Jonathan La Mont Fisher, 37, was charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and four other misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor charges relating to a crash that occurred after an alleged verbal altercation.
ADVERTISEMENT The collision happened on May 16, 2024, when the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office responded to a driving complaint where three individuals in one car claimed a blue SUV crashed into their vehicle. Fisher told police the individuals directed racial slurs at him while in the grocery store and then followed his vehicle. In February, Fisher pleaded guilty to second-degree assault.
In exchange for his plea, all other charges were dismissed. A Dodge County District Judge ordered Fisher to pay a $1,000 fine and to serve 100 hours of community work service. According to the criminal complaint, the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office responded to a driving complaint in Hayfield on May 16, 2024.
The caller told dispatch three individuals were traveling north on Sixth Avenue Northeast when a blue SUV cut their vehicle off and tried to push them into a ditch. The reporting party identified a man known as "John-John," according to the court document. Dispatch advised the deputies that the male was possibly Fisher, who drives a blue Ford Escape.
Soon after the first call, dispatch received a second call from the same caller. The caller reported the blue SUV struck their car and drove away. The caller reported no injuries and stayed at the location of the crash at 210 Fifth St.
SE in Hayfield. A deputy went to Fisher’s residence where he observed the blue Ford Escape. Fisher, who is Black, told the deputy he was at the grocery store when two individuals directed racial slurs toward him.
Fisher told police he proceeded to get into his vehicle. The two individuals followed him around town in their car, Fisher said. ADVERTISEMENT According to the complaint, Fisher said he was traveling west as the car with the two individuals was traveling east on Second Street Northwest.
Fisher claimed they drove fully into his lane and he was unable to veer out of the way, which led to the other vehicle striking his own. The deputy noted the side-front damage to Fisher's SUV. Based on the damage and reported direction of travel of the vehicles, the deputy determined that one of the vehicles was on the wrong side of the road for the damage to occur, the complaint said.
Fisher said he then went to his residence. Shortly after that, the two individuals plus a third person, an adult female, showed up at his residence "carrying weapons and threatening to cut his head off," the court document said. Meanwhile, a different deputy talked with the caller, who stated he and two others were riding around town going to play basketball when they saw "John-John" at the grocery store.
The witness claimed they wanted to say hello to "John-John," but when they pulled up to talk, "John-John" got into his car and began chasing them down, nearly running them off the road numerous times. Eventually, they were driving east on Minnesota Highway 30/Second Street Northwest and "John-John" was driving toward them westbound, the witness claimed. The driver of their car swerved to avoid a head-on collision, and "John-John" rammed into their vehicle, causing damage, court documents say.
The deputy observed a Kia Forte with extensive damage to the passenger side. The driver of the Kia also said she was scared and did not hear any racial slurs from either of the individuals in the grocery story. Law enforcement made contact with a homeowner who had a camera facing the roadway.
After reviewing the footage, law enforcement determined "Fisher's vehicle is shown intentionally steering into Driver's vehicle," according to the court document. ADVERTISEMENT Fisher was then placed under arrest. While he was read his Miranda Rights twice, he stated both times he did not understand them, "so he was transported to the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center without questioning.
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