A Cook man reportedly escaped from an armed assailant Sunday by hiding under a vehicle that the assailant then drove away.
The alleged assailant, a 35-year-old Alango Township man, is facing charges after allegedly firing a gun at and threatening to kill the Cook man, 47-year-old Shawn Koski.
The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office was alerted to the incident about 3 a.m. Sunday when they received a report of a stolen car crashing into a power pole at the end of the owner's driveway on Samuelson Road in Alango Township southwest of Cook. Deputies found the driver, Koski, at the Cook Hospital.
According to the Sheriff's Office:
Koski had fled the suspect's residence on foot through the woods after an altercation in which the suspect had fired a gun toward Koski and threatened to kill him. Koski then hid under his truck, but the suspect got into it and drove off, searching for Koski. Koski held onto the underside of the truck and was dragged down the road until he fell off. Koski then took a neighbor's vehicle and crashed it while fleeing.
ADVERTISEMENT
The suspect has been preliminarily charged with assault and making terroristic threats. The case remains under investigation by the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office.
A search of Minnesota court records for the suspect found 14 cases containing 34 counts, including counts of theft, assault and damage to property.
A search of records for Koski found three cases containing five counts. Two of the cases -- each containing one count each of no driver's license and no proof of motor vehicle insurance - are from this year. His driver's license was suspended for failure to appear, and he owes the court system $385.
