On or about February 26, 2026, at approximately 5:23 A.M., Itasca County Sheriff’s Deputy Popp was dispatched to [ADDRESS REDACTED], Deer River, Itasca County, Minnesota, on the report of a disturbance. Upon arrival, Deputy Popp observed the second living room window to be shattered. He also observed a knife on the ground near the pathway to the front door. Deputy Popp spoke with the reporting party, identified as C. B., hereinafter Victim. Victim indicated that someone named “Chad” knocked on the door and wanted a cigarette.
He told Chad to leave because he had attempted to get Victim [NAME REDACTED] during a traffic stop. According to Victim, [NAME REDACTED] stated “F*ck you, I’ll kill you, stab you up and everything.” Deputy Magnusson located “Chad” on County Road 39. “Chad” was identified as CHAD EVAN GOTCHIE, [DOB REDACTED], hereinafter the Defendant. Deputy Popp then located the Defendant and Deputy Magnusson. The Defendant stated that he rolled up to the house, knocked on the door, that they tried to talk sh*t to him, tried to pull some sh*it on him, and that he had to protect himself.
Throughout the conversation, the Defendant’s story continued changing, he could not tell the Deputies what they pulled on him. The Defendant indicated he had been drinking. The Defendant provided a breath sample for a preliminary breath test, which yielded a result of 0.14 breath alcohol content. Deputy Popp spoke again with Victim, [NAME REDACTED] stated that the Defendant had told him, f*ck you, I’ll kill you and stab your *ss up. Victim [NAME REDACTED] was going to call the cops. The Defendant then told Victim he was going to murder him.
Victim indicated that the Defendant found a knife and brought it with him to the house and was threatening to use it. The Victim [NAME REDACTED] was capable of using it. Victim [NAME REDACTED], previously observed by Deputy Popp, was not his and that was the knife the Defendant had with him. The Victim also reported that the Defendant had broke the upstairs window with something wooden. Later, Deputy Popp spoke with the Defendant at the jail after he had been arrested. The Defendant would state that he had to defend himself from “them,” but then would state he was trying to defend himself from dogs.
The Defendant got upset with Deputy Popp as he disagreed with Deputy Popp. The Defendant told Deputy Popp that he was going to “break [Deputy Popp’s] bones” because he was a small cop. A review of the Defendant’s criminal history shows a felony domestic assault conviction from July 16, 2020, in court file no. 31-CR-20-769. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: Pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 609.49, intentional failure to appear for duly scheduled court appearances may result in additional criminal charges in addition to any arrest warrant that may otherwise be issued by the Court.
