The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

March 19, 2010

Wal-Mart crasher may be in court Monday

The Free Press

MANKATO — The man who drove his car into the Mankato Wal-Mart remained in the Mankato hospital under a mental health evaluation hold Friday and is expected to face charges Monday.

Raymond Mager Jr., 47, of Minnesota Lake was involved in a bizarre incident that started with a hit-and-run accident near Mankato at 6:20 a.m. Thursday and ended inside the Wal-Mart store.

Assistant Blue Earth County Attorney Michael Hanson said he has drawn up a complaint on specific charges but didn’t want to reveal exactly what they are because a judge hadn’t yet reviewed them. The county is seeking an arrest warrant so that Mager can be arrested and sent to jail upon being released from the hospital.

After the hit-and-run was reported, Blue Earth County Sheriff Brad Peterson began to pursue Mager’s vehicle, which ended up in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

Peterson said Mager began waving a gun inside the car, then backed up and hit Peterson’s vehicle. Mager then drove his car through the doors and inside the Wal-Mart store, stopping near the far side of the store.

Officers, with guns drawn, were in a 30-minute standoff with Mager, who was waving a gun inside his vehicle in the store but not pointing it at anyone. Mager was eventually subdued and arrested. The gun turned out to be a pellet gun.

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