FARGO – A Fargo woman is accused of using her car to repeatedly ram a car ahead of her in an apparent road rage incident that continued with her chasing a couple into their yard.
Michelle Joline Hellerud, 33, is also charged with simple assault on a peace officer. A Fargo police officer pulled Hellerud unconscious from her car and took her to the emergency room, where she allegedly punched him in the face, breaking his glasses, according to court documents filed Monday in Cass County District Court.
Police were dispatched about 9 p.m. Friday to the Woodland Drive and Elm Street area of north Fargo on an apparent road rage incident, documents state. Hellerud’s car had already rear-ended the other one twice, dispatchers told police.
An officer called to the scene reported seeing two vehicles speeding along, with Hellerud’s car nearly touching the car in front of it. As he approached, dispatchers informed him Hellerud had driven up into someone’s yard to continue rear-ending the lead car, court documents state.
After the officer pulled them over, he noticed Hellerud had passed out behind the wheel of her car. He got her out of the car, made sure she had a pulse, and then called an ambulance. The officer noted that Hellerud smelled of alcohol, court documents state.
ADVERTISEMENT
The officer, Samuel Bollman, followed the ambulance to the emergency room and went inside with Hellerud. When he tried to copy her driver’s license information, she swatted his notebook out of his hands, court documents state. They struggled, with Bollman trying to restrain her and Hellerud allegedly trying to bite him.
As she went for his right hand, he released Hellerud’s right arm, and she punched him in the face, breaking his glasses. Bollman then handcuffed her, court documents state.
Hellerud was charged with one count of aggravated assault, one count of reckless endangerment and one count of simple assault on a peace officer, all Class C felonies.
Her next court appearance is set for Jan. 14.
