Posted: 12/14/04
Houston man charged after fleeing officers
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
A police chase through the streets of Caledonia led to the arrest of a Houston man on December 4.
Nathan Karl Holter, 37, has been charged with five crimes from the incident that Saturday afternoon.
Two charges are felonies, fleeing a police officer and obstructing the legal process. They carry a combined maximum sentence of eight years in prison and $15,000 fine.
He is also charged with two gross misdemeanors, obstructing the legal process and escape from custody, and one misdemeanor of violating an order for protection.
According to the December 6 criminal complaint, Holter took his wifeís car from a school parking lot in Caledonia on the morning of December 4. She called police and told them she suspected it was her husband, Nathan Holter.
Caledonia Police Chief Duane St. Mary and Houston County Deputy Sheriff Tracie Erickson went to her house, where they heard Holter admit over the phone that he had taken the car.
He said he wanted to meet with her, so they agreed to meet at Good Times restaurant in Caledonia.
St. Mary and Erickson drove there, and found Holter in his wifeís car with the doors locked. St. Mary reached in a partially opened window and unlocked the passenger side door. Erickson then opened the drivers side door and grabbed Holter by the shoulder. Holter sped away, pulling both men for a short distance.
The officers pursued him around the industrial park and into the downtown area of Caledonia. When Holter came to the corner of East Grove and Kingston, his path was blocked by traffic, so he turned south on Kingston. He was stopped by Minnesota State Highway Patrolman Kelly McGraw, who approached from the south and pulled in front of him.
At his first court appearance, Judge James Fabian set unconditional bail at $40,000 and conditional bail at $20,000. He posted bail later that day. Two of the conditions are to not leave the state and to comply with previous orders for protections.
His next court appearance is December 20 at 10:45 a.m.
Holter also pled not guilty on December 3 to violating orders for protection on five different dates. He has requested a jury trial for these.
Holter also faces felony theft and receiving stolen property charges in the theft of a job trailer in Houston on September 16. Charges were filed on October 14. He has not entered a plea, and will appear in court on December 15 at 9 a.m.
Caledonia Argus
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Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com