BEMIDJI-Prosecutors dropped two charges Tuesday against a Bemidji man accused of running another man over with his car.
Keanu Joseph Major, 22, who also triggered a multi-county manhunt after escaping from custody in July, had been charged with one count of second-degree assault and one count of failing to stop after a traffic collision that caused injury or death. A criminal complaint against Major said he had been stabbed by Tyler Cournoyer, 22. Major then allegedly ran over Cournoyer, who is charged with one count of second-degree assault.
During the Tuesday hearing, Major also pleaded guilty to one charge of escaping from custody, a felony. While he was being held in the Beltrami County Jail following the alleged assault of Cournoyer, Major was involved in two separate fights, after which he was taken to the Sanford Bemidji Medical Center on July 28.
According to court documents:
While at the hospital, Major asked to go to the bathroom. The corrections officer supervising him noticed that Major was "taking a while," and knocked on the door. Major said he was OK, so the officer waited a few minutes before knocking again, at which point she received no answer and opened the door to find that Major was missing.
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After looking at hospital surveillance footage, the officer saw that Major had left via a bathroom door that led to a hallway, then went out the south exit of the hospital while still wearing leg restraints.
Investigators eventually tracked Major to St. Cloud, where he was arrested Aug. 1. He is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on Jan. 8.
