St. Cloud police: Pedestrian apparently hit intentionally with vehicle, 1 arrested

St. Cloud police say a 29-year-old man is recovering from what are considered to be serious but non-life-threatening injuries after he was hit by a vehicle — possibly intentionally — in a parking lot late Sunday afternoon.

According to St. Cloud police, officers were called to a hit-and-run in the Target parking lot on the 100 block of Lincoln Avenue Southeast just after 4:30 p.m. after a caller said a Volkswagen Passat had hit at least one vehicle. Other callers said a pedestrian had also been hit by the Passat.

A nearby officer then arrived and tried to stop the vehicle. However, the driver left the lot and headed south at a high rate of speed, police add. Eventually, the driver stopped on the 300 block of Lincoln Avenue Southeast and was arrested without incident.

Monday, police identified the driver as 18-year-old Nathan James Severtson of St. Cloud and added that he appeared to be impaired at the time of his arrest.

Meanwhile, the pedestrian who was injured was taken to a St. Cloud Hospital. His name hasn’t been released as of this time.

Police say their investigation shows the driver “appeared to swerve towards and intentionally strike” the man as he was walking in the lot, adding Severtson allegedly hit two other vehicles, which were occupied.

The people inside those vehicles weren’t injured.

Officials say the alleged impairment is suspected of being the primary cause for Severtson’s erratic driving.

Severtson is being held at the Benton County Jail for multiple charges, including hit-and-run, DWI, criminal vehicular operation, second-degree assault with a vehicle and fleeing in a motor vehicle.