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A Minot man was sentenced to prison Monday in North Central District Court after pleading guilty to a variety of offenses, including multiple felonies.
Christopher James Reiter, 43, Minot, appeared before District Judge Todd Cresap, having already entered into an agreement affecting several other open and closed cases in Ward County.
The charges against Reiter arise from three separate incidents of assault, which occurred on March 15, May 27 and June 29. In the first, authorities responded to a call for help from a woman who said a drunk Reiter assaulted her so severely she lost consciousness several times - all while Reiter threatened to have a friend dispose of her body.
Reiter was charged in the second incident after a woman called dispatch for help, claiming he wouldn't allow her to leave the vehicle while giving her a ride home on U.S. Highway 83. Officers pursuing Reiter said in court documents that Reiter achieved speeds nearing 100 miles per hour before getting his pickup stuck on a muddy dirt road. The affidavit of probable cause noted Reiter was seen throwing a bottle of vodka from the vehicle during the pursuit and that he has had five prior DUI offenses in the last 15 years.
The third incident involved an assault that occurred at a card game in southwest Ward County, at which Reiter punched another man 50 times in the head after being told to stop talking so the victim could hear a TV he was watching.
All told, Reiter pleaded guilty to one count of Actual Physical Control test refusal-third offense in seven years, a Class A misdemeanor; simple assault, a Class B misdemeanor; domestic violence resulting in serious bodily injury, felonious restraint-abduct adult victim, DUI test refusal-fourth or subsequent offense in 15 years, and simple assault of a peace officer or correctional officer, all Class C felonies.
Additional felony charges of felonious restraint, aggravated assault, terrorizing, preventing arrest, fleeing a peace officer and misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment and driving under revocation were dismissed.
For Class C felony domestic assault resulting in serious bodily injury, Cresap sentenced Reiter to five years in the Department of Corrections, with a requirement to serve three years and credit for 171 days served and 24 days of earned good time. Reiter will be required to complete two years of supervised probation and must have no contact with a specific individual nor go within 100 feet of her residence.
For the charges of felonious restraint, DUI test refusal and simple assault of a peace officer, Cresap sentenced Reiter to five years in the Department of Corrections, requiring he serve three years with credit for 157 days served and 22 days of good time. Reiter will be required to complete three years of supervised probation upon release and must have no contact with a specific individual and maintain a 150-foot distance from her and her residence.
For the charge of simple assault, Reiter was sentenced to 30 days in the Ward County Jail, with credit for 30 days already served, along with 360 days of unsupervised probation. A no-contact order also will be in place, requiring Reiter to not go within 100 feet of a specific individual or his residence.
For refusing a sobriety test while being in actual physical control of a vehicle, Reiter was sentenced to 360 days in the Ward County Jail and is required to serve the 162 days already served. Reiter will be required to complete one year of supervised probation, enroll in a 24/7 sobriety program and complete a chemical dependency evaluation.
An indigent recoupment fee of $575 was waived by the court, but Reiter was assessed other fees and fines totaling $5,625. He also must complete a domestic violence course and chemical dependency evaluation.