Tentative Plea Deal For Eyota Man Shot at by Deputy in Rochester

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Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A tentative plea agreement has been worked out with an Olmsted County man who was shot at by an Olmsted County deputy while fleeing from law officers in December.

A petition to enter a guilty plea filed in Olmsted County Court indicates 39-year-old Jesse Johnson of Eyota has agreed to plead guilty to a second-degree assault charge in exchange for the dismissal of another felony assault charge and a count of illegal possession of a firearm. The charges stem from an incident last June.

Johnson was accused of brandishing a pistol during an argument with another man. According to the criminal complaint, the victim told police Johnson attempted to shoot him but his gun jammed and Johnson then struck him in the face with a handgun, knocking him unconscious.

The officer-involved shooting in December occurred when members of the Olmsted County Sheriff's Warrants Team tracked Johnson to the parking lot at the Planet Fitness business next to Cub Foods in Southeast Rochester. He was wanted on an arrest warrant connected to the June case when he allegedly rammed into two law enforcement vehicles in order to escape.

Police reports indicate a deputy fired a single shot at Johnson's vehicle as he was driving away. No one was injured and the deputy was later cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in connection with the shooting.

Johnson was finally apprehended in February in Iowa, where he faces additional charges. He is currently being held in the Olmsted County Jail on $500,000 conditional bail.