A 21-year-old Fargo man is accused of pulling a knife on a police officer investigating a report that he refused to pay a delivery driver for Chinese food.
The driver, a 33-year-old West Fargo man delivering for Fargo's Giant Panda, reported the theft at about 9:55 p.m. Sunday at 114 14th St. S., Fargo police Sgt. Mark Lykken said.
Chase Hunter Petersen was charged Monday in Cass County District Court with terrorizing, a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
According to Lykken and court documents:
The driver said he gave Petersen the Chinese food because Petersen said he was going to get money out of his pocket. Petersen gave the driver a small amount of change and said he wouldn't pay more because the food was late.
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Fargo police Officer Kris Jacobs went to Petersen's basement apartment and knocked on the door for about five minutes before Petersen answered from inside. Jacobs told him he had to pay for the food or he could face charges.
A few minutes later, Petersen opened the door, took a few steps out of the apartment and put a bag of food on the floor.
Jacobs believed Petersen was going to ignore him and grabbed Petersen's forearm before he could get back inside his apartment.
Petersen pulled away and took a fighting stance. Jacobs drew his Taser.
Petersen grabbed a folding knife from his pocket. As Jacobs drew his sidearm, he saw Petersen open the knife, exposing its 4-inch blade. Jacobs took a few steps back, and Petersen slammed the door.
By Mike Nowatzki
A 21-year-old Fargo man is accused of pulling a knife on a police officer investigating a report that he refused to pay a delivery driver for Chinese food.
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The driver, a 33-year-old West Fargo man delivering for Fargo's Giant Panda, reported the theft at about 9:55 p.m. Sunday at 114 14th St. S., Fargo police Sgt. Mark Lykken said.
Chase Hunter Petersen was charged Monday in Cass County District Court with terrorizing, a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
According to Lykken and court documents:
The driver said he gave Petersen the Chinese food because Petersen said he was going to get money out of his pocket. Petersen gave the driver a small amount of change and said he wouldn't pay more because the food was late.
Fargo police Officer Kris Jacobs went to Petersen's basement apartment and knocked on the door for about five minutes before Petersen answered from inside. Jacobs told him he had to pay for the food or he could face charges.
A few minutes later, Petersen opened the door, took a few steps out of the apartment and put a bag of food on the floor.
Jacobs believed Petersen was going to ignore him and grabbed Petersen's forearm before he could get back inside his apartment.
Petersen pulled away and took a fighting stance. Jacobs drew his Taser.
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Petersen grabbed a folding knife from his pocket. As Jacobs drew his sidearm, he saw Petersen open the knife, exposing its 4-inch blade. Jacobs took a few steps back, and Petersen slammed the door.
Jacobs and backup officers eventually talked Petersen out of his apartment and arrested him on suspicion of terrorizing.
Alcohol and drugs didn't appear to be a factor in the incident, Lykken said.
A message left for Petersen at the Cass County Jail wasn't returned.
Lykken said officers are trained to draw their sidearm when threatened with a knife.
"We train our officers that, especially if there's one officer, if you can, you go to your firearm, because Tasers aren't 100 percent effective," he said.
Officers also are trained that 21 feet is the minimum safe distance to be away from someone wielding a knife, he said.
The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and the Herald are both Forum Communications Co. newspapers.
