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Springfield man faces four felonies

Conditional

bail $75,000

NEW ULM — A 55-year-old Springfield man who allegedly physically abused his wife told officers he was not going back to jail.

David M. Maclaren, also known as David Joseph Starkey and David Mark Starkey, of 205 N. Washington Ave., allegedly also assaulted an officer and pulled at an officer’s firearm holster.

He was charged with four felony counts in Brown County District Court Tuesday.

The charges are related to domestic abuse violations, domestic assault, obstructing the legal process and assaulting a peace officer.

Maclaren’s conditional bail was set at $75,000. Unconditional bail was set at $150,000.

Assistant Brown County Attorney Dan Kalk asked for unconditional bail only, due to Maclaren’s history.

“It’s running off the grid really. He has no regard for the court, three open felony files and a peace officer assault (charge),” Kalk said.

Public defender Greg Handevidt of Mankato said conditional bail should be available to Maclaren.

Kalk requested and was granted a domestic abuse no-contact order in the case. A hearing was set for 9:30 a.m. Oct. 16.

According to court documents, Springfield police got a phone call about a woman being physically abused by her husband at 205 Washington Ave. N. at 2:16 p.m. Saturday.

At the residence, policeman Micheal Gordon found the front and back doors locked and heard a banging sound, like someone hitting a wall near the rear door. He then heard a female voice scream for help. He kicked in the door and announced his presence.

He heard a female scream from upstairs and ran to the foot of a staircase. Gordon ordered Maclaren to come downstairs three times, but Maclaren refused each time. He went to the room where the victim was located and a female scream was heard again.

Maclaren told police not to come up the stairs. Police could not see both of his hands. Maclaren said he was not going back to jail and that he wanted police to shoot him.

Gordon went to the top of the stairs and could see both of Maclaren’s hands. Gordon asked Maclaren to get down multiple times, but Maclaren didn’t respond.

At 2:40 p.m., several more police officers from Springfield and Sleepy Eye and a Brown County Sheriff’s Office deputy arrived. Maclaren was told they were going to come up the stairs to check on the victim’s welfare.

During a struggle to arrest Maclaren, an officer noticed him try to reach for an officer’s firearm. After the arrest, an officer said he felt Maclaren pull at the bottom of his firearm holster. Maclaren tried to kick an officer in the face after he was handcuffed.

Police found the victim hiding in a crawl space in the back of a room. She said Maclaren was drinking. He got “set off” because of all the dust upstairs, and he grabbed her left forearm, she said. Police photographed her bruised left forearm.

The victim said she was in fear of her life. She said Maclaren pushed her, then pushed a door open after she closed it, hitting her in the right cheek. Police photographed bruising and redness on the woman’s right cheek.

Gordon had a long red scratch down his left cheek and neck. Police photographed the injuries.

Maclaren’s criminal history showed prior qualified domestic offenses.

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