A Grafton, N.D., man has been accused of attempted murder after allegedly charging at Walsh County deputies with a 9¾-inch knife and yelling at officers to shoot him following a vehicle accident Monday.
Rodney J. Ebertowski, 57, is also facing charges of driving under the influence, reckless endangerment, terrorizing and resisting arrest after speeding through Grafton in his pickup and crashing it into a tree.
According to a criminal complaint filed Thursday in Walsh County District Court, Grafton Mayor Chris West witnessed Ebertowksi leave the Marketplace on Eighth parking lot just before 1:30 p.m., heading east on 8th Street at what West estimated to be 70 miles per hour.
Ebertowski was driving so fast down a five-block stretch of that, at times, his tires left the ground, the complaint said. When he tried to turn onto Cooper Avenue, just blocks from his house, he lost control, drove into a neighboring yard and crashed into a tree.
'Shoot, shoot'
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Two Walsh County deputies and Grafton Assistant Chief of Police Anthony Dumas responded. When they approached Ebertowski, he was slumped over in the driver's seat of his 1992 Ford F-150. They yelled "Rodney," to get his attention.
Ebertowski cursed at the officer and reached down and grabbed for something near the passenger seat. Deputies yelled for him to show his hands, but he charged out of the vehicle holding a knife with a 4-inch blade, shouting "Shoot, shoot."
He staggered and fell, banging his head on the front fender of a nearby patrol car, but got back up and went after a deputy, continuing to call for officers to shoot him.
At least one of the officers had his gun drawn, and Ebertowski's advances put West, who was also on the scene, in the line of fire.
Ebertowski finally dropped the knife but continued after one of the deputies. Dumas and one of the deputies used Tasers to subdue Ebertowski. He was taken to Unity Medical Center in Grafton.
The complaint said Ebertowski had to be sedated because he continued to yell and fight with medical staff and officers.
Attempted murder is a Class A felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Reckless endangerment, terrorizing and resisting arrest are all Class C felonies punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Driving under the influence is a Class B misdemeanor.
Ebertowski is being held at the Walsh County Correctional Center. He had a bond hearing Thursday but doesn't have a scheduled court date yet.
