Hayfield man claims threats, racial comments led to crash in Dodge County
May 19—HAYFIELD, Minn. — A Hayfield man faces five charges after an alleged verbal altercation led to a crash between two vehicles in Hayfield on Thursday, May 16, 2024.
Jonathan La Mont Fisher, 36, of Hayfield, faces one felony, a gross misdemeanor and three misdemeanor charges, including assault second degree-dangerous weapon. The charge has a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and/or a $14,000 fine.
According to the criminal complaint:
On May 16, 2024, Dodge County Sheriff's deputies responded to a call in Hayfield regarding a driving complaint. The reporting party had told dispatch three individuals had been in a car traveling north on Sixth Avenue Northeast when a blue SUV cut their vehicle off and attempted to push them into the 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.
A short time later, dispatch received a second call from the reporting party, saying the blue SUV had struck their vehicle and left in an unknown direction. The caller reported no injuries and said they would remain at the location of the collision.
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 the reporting party and a witness directed racial slurs toward him. Fisher said he then got in his vehicle and claimed the two individuals followed him around town in their car. During this time, Fisher said, the vehicle with the other individuals was traveling east on Second Street Northwest, and Fisher was traveling west when the other vehicle, he claimed, drove fully into his lane and he was unable to veer out of the way, which led to the other vehicle striking his own.
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.
The deputy then 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 at least one of the vehicles had to of been on the wrong side of the road for the damage to occur."
Meanwhile, a different deputy talked with the reporting party, who stated he and the driver and the witness 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 the reporting party or the witness.
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.
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."
Fisher is being held in the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center. A bail amount has not been set.
