A South St. Paul man drove across light-rail tracks and into a crowd of patrons gathered outside a bar/restaurant in downtown St. Paul last weekend, striking several people and pinning one woman against a building, authorities say.
Eric Kenny Hagerman, 29, was arrested at the scene after smashing his car into Hunan Garden at 380 Cedar St. around 1:45 a.m. Sunday, according to a criminal complaint filed against him Monday in Ramsey County District Court.
Patrons who were gathered outside the establishment as closing time neared, along with two off-duty St. Paul police officers working at the bar, watched as a blue 2005 Chevy Impala started traveling at fast speeds toward the crowd, court documents say.
The officers managed to jump out of the way, but the vehicle struck several other bystanders before crashing into the building, the complaint said.
A woman in the vehicle’s path was temporarily pinned against the building. She was taken by ambulance to Regions Hospital with injuries to her leg, authorities say. A second woman also sought medical treatment for back and neck pain as well as bruises.
Angry patrons started crowding around Hagerman’s vehicle as officers tried to get him out of the car, the complaint said. At one point, an officer had to spray the crowd with a chemical irritant, authorities say.
Hagerman, who was wearing a wristband from a local bar, reportedly stared blankly at officers while he was arrested and appeared to be impaired by a mood-altering substance other than alcohol, the complaint said.
Another passenger who had been in his vehicle reportedly fled the scene as police were apprehending Hagerman, authorities say.
As police were obtaining a search warrant to collect a blood sample from Hagerman, he reportedly laughed and said, “Take it all,” the complaint said. He later told officers he hadn’t been driving the vehicle that night and asked for a lawyer.
Hagerman has been convicted of four prior DWI-related offenses, as well as first-degree robbery and domestic assault, according to court records.
He was charged Monday with two felony-level DWIs and is expected to make his first court appearance Tuesday.
No attorney was listed for him in court records.