Two men face charges in Superior carjacking

Two Minnesota men accused of stealing a Good Samaritan’s car at gunpoint made initial appearances Monday in Douglas County Circuit Court.

Jesse Jay Bohanon of McGregor and Cheyenne Allen Smith of Cloquet, both 19, face one count of armed carjacking as a party to a crime. The class C felony carries a maximum penalty of 40 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $100,000. Smith also faces misdemeanor counts of obstructing an officer and possession of synthetic marijuana.

According to the criminal complaint:

A Superior man gave four Native American males, including Bohanon and Smith, a ride to a Duluth residence when their vehicle broke down at a Superior bar.

The victim got a call from them later asking for a ride back to the vehicle, which had a dead battery. After picking them up and dropping them off at their car, the Superior man decided to get an energy drink at Wal-Mart. As he was in the right turn lane on Tower Avenue at North 37th Street, two of the men he had helped earlier accosted him.

A man he identified as Smith pointed a gun at him and entered the vehicle with the other male. They demanded the Superior man’s money.

The victim was able to exit the vehicle and run toward Arby’s.

The two Minnesota men drove off in the car, found abandoned near Tamarack, Minn.

Superior police arrested Smith on Oct. 18 while investigating a car-prowling incident. He originally identified himself as Bohanon, and police discovered a canister of “Kaptain Kush” synthetic marijuana in Smith’s pocket, resulting in the additional charges.

When questioned by Superior police, Smith admitted he and Bohanon took the victim’s car. He said Bohanon put a chokehold on the Superior man and started screaming at him to give them the car.

The victim got out the driver’s door, and the suspects drove off. Smith denied the pair used any weapon.

The men were released on $10,000 cash bail and ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim, not operate a motor vehicle without a valid license or permit, not use or possess dangerous weapons, drug paraphernalia or controlled substances without a prescription.

Smith pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges and waived time limits for a preliminary hearing on the felony charge.

Bohanon’s next court appearance is slated for Wednesday; Smith’s next court appearance takes place Nov. 14.

Tags: news, crime, superior, auto, minnesota, transportation