Luverne man allegedly threatens cops

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LUVERNE — A Luverne man who allegedly threatened law enforcement officers and waved a gun around while intoxicated was charged Monday with a variety of criminal counts in Rock County District Court.

Matthew Earl Dowie, 38, is facing two counts of terroristic threats and one count each of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, obstructing the legal process, intentional property damage, disorderly conduct, reckless driving and trespass.

According to the criminal complaint, a woman requested assistance removing a male subject from her home around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. She said Dowie, the father of her son, was waiving a gun around while intoxicated and trying to take her son from the house.

When authorities arrived at the scene, they saw a vehicle back from the driveway into an alley. Three Rock County Sheriff’s Office squad cars gave chase with lights and sirens activated. The pursuit went down several streets, with Dowie allegedly running stop signs and a light before going through a 3-way intersection and impacting a deep snow bank.

Two deputies positioned their squads behind Dowie’s vehicle and approached with weapons drawn. Dowie was trying to back the vehicle out of the snow and refused to exit. Eventually he had to be physically removed.

A plastic stinger P9 6milimeter caliber BB gun was located under the driver seat.

While a deputy escorted Dowie to the law enforcement center, another returned to the initial scene to speak with the woman. She indicated Dowie had entered through the rear door of her residence without knocking. She believed him to be drunk and he was carrying a gun, she said. He seemed upset, she continued, and was mad at someone at a bar.

She believed the gun was real, and attempted to convince Dowie their son should stay with her, rather than go with him.

At a nearby bar, authorities learned Dowie had been served two drinks in one hour and possibly caused some trouble by taking a woman’s cell phone.

At the law enforcement center, Dowie’s blood alcohol concentration was tested and recorded at .07 percent.

Dowie agreed to answer questions, but instead of cooperating, continued to make threats toward “crooked officers.” He complained of a right elbow injury, which he said occurred during the apprehension. He claimed the pins in his elbow were snapped and the screw broken.

Dowie was transported to Sanford Hospital Luverne for x-rays, and a physician later informed him nothing was broken and there were no pins or screws in his elbow.

Dowie allegedly kicked at the sliding glass doors in the emergency room and they were leaving, and became very combative. He kicked the rear side windows of the squad and damaged the rear antenna of the radar unit.

He reportedly continued to make threats against law enforcement while being transported to the Prairie Justice Center in Worthington.

That evening, jail staff requested help in obtaining a 72-hour hold, and he was moved to Sanford Regional Hospital Worthington. Blood samples were taken, and came back positive for marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines and benzodiazepine. A psychologist met with Dowie and prescribed medication to calm him down.

During the trip back to jail, Dowie allegedly continued to threaten the officers, indicating he would have his brother, who “is the head of 200 sharp shooters for the FBI” come down and take care of the “crooked cops.”

“They will shoot you from two miles away and you won’t even feel it,” Dowie stated.

He also indicated he was going to go to the Sunrise Motel as soon as he got out and get a .308 rifle from under the counter.

Bond was set at $15,000, and his next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 25. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum combined penalty of 17 years 180 days incarceration. As of Tuesday afternoon, he was still being held in the Nobles County Jail.

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