Suspect in Weapon Assault Arrested in Ottertail County

POPE COUNTY, MINN. (KFGO) A man wanted for seriously assaulting another man with a weapon at a hotel in Starbuck, in west-central Minnesota Saturday night was arrested in Ottertail County.

The suspect, 41-year-old, Justin Cardinal, of Columbia Heights, Minnesota, had fled the scene of the incident before police arrived.

Pope County authorities searched the community for several hours before it was learned that Cardinal had stolen a vehicle and drove to neighboring Grant County where he abandoned it in a cornfield and then stole another vehicle in Elbow Lake. An eyewitness saw the vehicle being stolen and followed it until law enforcement arrived and was able to stop and arrest him in Otter Tail County.

The victim who was attacked was airlifted to a Minneapolis hospital where he is being treated for “severe” injuries.

Cardinal is facing charges of first-degree assault, fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, and motor vehicle theft.