Anderson charged in alleged roadside rundown

According to court documents, Highway 281 north of New Rockford was the location of a disturbing scene on Friday, Sept. 29.

That evening, Loren Anderson of Eddy County is accused of running down his live-in girlfriend and intentionally causing a head-on collision with her vehicle on Highway 281 approximately eight miles north of New Rockford.

Anderson has since been arrested and charged with several felonies and misdemeanors, which include reckless endangerment and terrorizing, both Class C felonies, as well as domestic violence and aggravated reckless driving, both Class A misdemeanors.

Court documents say the chase occurred after Anderson and his girlfriend – whose name is abbreviated as "D.O." in court documents – had been in a dispute earlier that afternoon.

The Eddy County Sheriff's Office responded to the initial disturbance, which allegedly amounted to Anderson's girlfriend wanting to leave the property and Anderson not letting her.

Court documents say the responding officer eventually departed when it appeared Anderson had left the scene and after his girlfriend said she now wanted to stay.

It didn't take long before the situation escalated, however.

According to court documents, "Approximately an hour later, the Chief Deputy received a call from the Law Enforcement Center in Devils Lake advising of a blue pickup ramming a gray SUV on Highway 281."

Court documents go on to describe what happened leading up to the collision, per the girlfriend's version of events.

"D.O. informed [the Chief Deputy] that when she tried to leave their yard, the Defendant intentionally drove his pickup truck into the side of her vehicle. As she attempted to flee, the Defendant chased her with his vehicle, striking her again from the rear," state court documents.

"As the defendant realized she was in imminent danger and without a cellphone to call 911 (the Defendant had taken it from her prior to leaving their residence), she flipped a u-turn on Highway 281 to try to get to New Rockford to call 911 from a local gas station."

That's when court documents allege Anderson crossed the center line and intentionally struck his girlfriend's vehicle head-on.

Anderson is then alleged to have attempted to gain access to his girlfriend by breaking into her vehicle, and was allegedly threatening to kill her while doing so.

According to court documents, "The Defendant was unable to gain access to the vehicle and D.O., but upon responding to the scene, Eddy County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Jesse Anderson discovered the Defendant had been successful in pulling the window off its track."

Anderson was also allegedly seen holding a large, sheathed knife, before throwing it into his vehicle as an officer approached.

"It is unknown if the Defendant possessed the weapon while trying to gain access to D.O.'s vehicle, but it would have been in his possession during the chase as he hadn't left the scene after the final collision," state court documents.

As of press time Thursday, Anderson was still being held at the Lake Region Law Enforcement Center in Devils Lake, with his bond set at $5,000 cash or surety.

Anderson's initial appearance will take place on Thursday, Oct. 12. He is considered innocent unless proven guilty.