A man from Minnesota as arrested in Lancaster last week after police said he crashed his car and then attempted to punch a witness. 25 year old Benjamin Blanchette of Fulda, Minnesota was arrested on charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated-second offense, two counts of resisting or obstructing an officer and two counts of disorderly conduct. Blanchette also was cited with failure to maintain control of his vehicle, operating a motor vehicle without insurance and unreasonable and imprudent speed. According to the Lancaster Police Department, Blanchette was driving north on Madison Street at about 3 a.m. Saturday when he failed to complete a turn, left the road and struck a utility pole. He was uninjured in the crash. An officer who arrived at the scene saw Blanchette attempting to punch a witness, who was not identified. The officer attempted to detain Blanchette with the help of a local resident, and the Grant County Sheriff’s Department arrived shortly thereafter to assist with the arrest. Police say Blanchette was resistant and that authorities deployed a taser to detain him. Blanchette showed signs of impairment and was taken to Grant Regional Health Center for a blood draw.
