WILLMAR -- Benjamin Jeffrey Norlin, 25, of St. Cloud, pleaded guilty Thursday in Kandiyohi County District Court to an amended charge of third-degree assault - substantial bodily harm, for beating a man with whom he had been drinking at a Spicer bar July 18.
Three other charges were dismissed.
Judge Donald Spilseth ordered a presentence investigation and set sentencing for 2 p.m. Dec. 19. Norlin was ordered to stay a reasonable distance from the victim's residence, pay $75,000 bail or post $75,000 bond, and to not leave Minnesota without written court approval, among other conditions.
According to the criminal complaint, Kandiyohi County sheriff's deputies were called to a home on Manitoba Avenue in Spicer.
A bloodied man said that he had been drinking at a Spicer bar with Norlin, that they had argued and that Norlin had beaten him with his fists.
ADVERTISEMENT
The victim, 24, of Litchfield had gone to the nearest home and asked the resident to call for help. Ambulance personnel took him to Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar for treatment. A relative later informed investigators that the man had a broken cheekbone and several stitches were required to close the gash over his eye.
A deputy en route to Rice noticed a vehicle along Trott Avenue that officers knew to be registered to Norlin and stopped it.
Norlin exhibited signs of alcohol consumption, failed field sobriety tests and a preliminary breath test showed he had a blood alcohol content of 0.20 percent.
He was arrested and taken to the Law Enforcement Center, where his blood alcohol content was 0.19. The legal limit for driving is 0.08.
Norlin allegedly admitted to being at the bar with the man, but denied assaulting him.
