River Falls thief sentenced to 74 months in prison for intentionally hitting motorcyclist with pickup truck – Grand Forks Herald

PENNINGTON COUNTY, Minnesota – A Thief River Falls man was sentenced to just over six years in prison Tuesday, Sept. 17, for intentionally striking a motorcyclist with his pickup truck, causing serious bodily injury.

Paul Gregory Piche, 37, was originally charged with three felonies: attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault causing serious injury and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. He was also charged with aggravated harassment.

Piche agreed to offer Norgaard a guilty plea to the first-degree assault charge, meaning that while he acknowledges there is enough evidence for a conviction, he cannot admit to the crime because he cannot remember committing it.

The remaining three charges were dropped.

A deputy sheriff was dispatched to Seven Clans Casino on May 23, 2022, after receiving a report of an accident between a pickup truck and a motorcycle, according to a probable cause statement filed in the case.

The investigation revealed that Piche was following a woman in her vehicle and was stopped by her husband at the casino, where he arrived on his motorcycle to meet her. After a verbal argument, the man drove off and Piche followed him, ramming the back of his motorcycle, the statement said.

The man landed on the ground but got back on his feet while Piche was backing his truck. Piche then accelerated toward the man, hitting him and throwing him into the ditch, the statement said. He sped off and was not found for about three hours.

According to court documents, the man suffered bruised ribs and a broken arm.

Before sentencing, the defense filed a memorandum requesting a reduction in the minimum sentence, citing Piche's mental health history and the fact that he was not taking medication at the time of the crime. After his arrest, Piche was considered incompetent to stand trial for a time. However, once his medication was back in order, there were fewer or no problems.

A more recent investigation in February of this year found that Piche may have believed his life was in danger, saying the man verbally threatened him and approached him with a gun.

Surveillance footage shows the man reaching into his pocket while engaging in confrontational behavior after he was first struck by Piche's pickup truck, the memorandum states, which may be why Piche struck the man a second time.

Both the medical professionals who examined Piche and the people he knew who were interviewed generally agreed that he does not have any problems when he takes his medications.

The defense requested that Piche receive a suspended sentence, meaning he would only have to serve additional time if he violated the terms of his probation. Piche was ultimately sentenced to 74 months in prison.

Under Minnesota's two-thirds rule, he will spend about 49 months in prison and the rest on probation. Taking into account the 846 days already served, Piche will have just under 21 months left in the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud.