Charges: Abuser threatened woman with knife before smashing squad car in Windom

A man with a history of domestic violence allegedly threatened a woman with a knife before fleeing Windom police and damaging a squad car. Justin Charles Olson, 29, of Princeton, was charged Thursday with two counts of felony 2nd-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, felony domestic assault, and felony counts of fleeing police and property damage.

Windom police responded the morning of March 8 to a report of an assault at an apartment building on 6th Ave S.   A criminal complaint says the victim’s 911 call had been cut off and dispatch could hear her screaming for help and saying, “he’s coming at me with a knife.”

Court documents say the chain of events began when Olson’s girlfriend advised him to drive back to his home up north before bad weather hit. Olson began “storming around” and became”aggressive and angry,” according to the complaint.

The victim told police Olson ran after her and threw her to the ground when she packed up his things and put them in the hallway  The complaint says he shoved the victim’s face into the ground, then threatened her with one of three hunting knives he had with him.

Court documents say Olson slashed all four of his girlfriend’s tires with the knife before coming back at the woman as she was calling 911.  The complaint says he destroyed her phone.

Police arrived to find Olson throwing items into a red truck with what appeared to be a knife in his hand.  An officer gave Olson a verbal command to drop the knife, but police say he locked the doors and fled in the truck

The complaint says Olson then hit an unmarked squad with emergency lights activated that was parked in the south lot of the building.  Police say Olson’s vehicle was heading straight toward the squad before it jumped the curb, hitting the squad with Windom’s Assistant Police Chief inside.

Police say Olson’s truck became stuck in a snowbank, but he continued to attempt to flee by revving the engine, but his truck was boxed in by multiple law enforcement vehicles.

Court documents say officers ordered Olson out of the truck several times with their service weapons drawn. The complaint says an officer eventually broke a truck window to unlock the door when Olson was seen reaching over to the passenger side of the vehicle.  The officer sustained hand injuries, according to the complaint.

Investigators found the victim in her car in the parking lot with her young daughter.  After speaking with her, police found a knife in a dumpster and a sheath nearby. The victim’s crushed cell phone was also found in the vicinity.

Police say the squad car damages were estimated at $4,857.13.  The victim’s tire replacement will likely cost $500, but her phone and tires are still awaiting final estimates, according to the complaint.

Olson was booked in the Cottonwood County Jail.   He also faces gross misdemeanor charges of interrupting an emergency call and criminal damage to property.

Investigators say Olson has a felony domestic assault conviction from 2022 that involves the same victim.  He also has a felony domestic assault conviction from 2021, and a felony terroristic threats conviction from 2022.