Rochester Man Charged With Hit and Run

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Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)  -  Bail has been set at $100,000 for a Rochester man charged with deliberately striking another man with his vehicle.

21-year-old Robert James Larson was formally charged today with second-degree assault, two gross misdemeanor counts of criminal vehicular operation, along with misdemeanor charges of driving after revocation and fleeing a police officer. The charges stem from what was reported as a hit and run in northwest Rochester Friday evening.

The criminal complaint says officers responded to an area near the intersection of 10th Street and 11th Avenue Northwest shortly after 6 PM and found a man sitting on the sidewalk complaining of injuries to his foot and knee. The man told the officers he was riding his skateboard with his dog when a light greenish Ford accelerated at him as he was crossing 11th Avenue and that he had to jump out of the way or he would have been "smoked" by the car. He ended up bouncing off the front driver-side bumper and landing on the ground as the motorist left the scene.

According to the court document, the victim told the officers the driver of the car had acknowledged his presence before he entered the intersection. After he was struck by the vehicle, the victim indicated he was able to see the driver and recognized him as Larson, who allegedly previously sent the victim threatening messages.

When police went to Larson's residence, the criminal complaint says the officers noticed a car matching the description given by the victim was parked at the residence and the engine was still warm. They also found some minor damage on the front bumper that was possibly caused by the collision with the victim.

The court records says Larson initially retreated into his apartment but eventually came out and attempted to run away from the officers. He was apprehended a short time away after he fell to the ground.

Larson was scheduled to be sentenced today for his conviction on a charge of Predatory Offender-Knowingly commits act or fails to fulfill registration requirement. That was postponed until a future date.