One of three men charged in connection with a February shooting between moving cars on Interstate 35 in Duluth has pleaded guilty to a felony charge.
Nicholas Marvin Lamerand, 22, admitted to being a felon in possession of a firearm Monday in State District Court. His sentencing was set for Dec. 18.
Lamerand is the first person to plead guilty in the Feb. 5 incident, which authorities said started with a botched drug deal in downtown Duluth. A 19-year-old man suffered non-life-threatening injuries when he was shot through the door of the vehicle he was a passenger in, according to court documents.
Police said 22-year-old Brandon Edward Spence fired into the moving vehicle after he was "ripped off" during a planned sale of marijuana. The men allegedly gave chase to the other group on southbound I-35, resulting in the freeway shooting between downtown and the “can of worms” interchange in Lincoln Park.
Lamerand was a passenger in the vehicle from which the gun was fired. Police said his brother, 23-year-old Joseph Michael Lamerand, was driving.
Spence, who is charged with second-degree assault and drive-by shooting, is due back in court on Nov. 6. Joseph Lamerand, who is accused of aiding an offender, is scheduled to appear Jan. 2.
