A busy afternoon at St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park turned chaotic when, according to court filings, 53-year-old Michael Fritz of Minneapolis allegedly drove his car at two campground workers. Deputies say they chased Fritz through the park before taking him into custody, and court documents charge him with two counts of second-degree assault and one count of fleeing a peace officer. The incident disrupted activity at the county-run campground and kicked off an investigation by the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
What happened
According to KSTP, Washington County deputies were called to St. Croix Bluffs Campground on Tuesday around 1:10 p.m. after a caller reported that Fritz had attempted to run him and his wife over. The criminal complaint states the two campground workers had been picking up trash when Fritz argued with his girlfriend, yelled at them to stop looking at him and then drove through multiple campsites directly toward them. One worker told investigators she had to sprint behind a large tree to shield herself from the oncoming vehicle. A camper backed up the workers' account, and deputies ultimately arrested Fritz after what they described as a brief pursuit. Not exactly the leisurely campground scene people expect.
At the park
St. Croix Bluffs Campground sits along St. Croix Trail South near Hastings and is operated by Washington County Parks. The site offers both modern and rustic campsites, a play area and a posted 10 mph speed limit within the campground. Campground policies, staff and camp-host roles and the non-emergency number for the Sheriff's Office are listed by Washington County Parks. The county lists the park's address as 10191 St. Croix Trail South in Hastings.
Charges and next steps
The criminal complaint charges Fritz with two counts of second-degree assault and one count of fleeing a peace officer, according to KSTP. He is scheduled for an omnibus hearing on Sept. 16, a court date where pretrial issues are typically handled. For now, the allegations live primarily in court filings, and prosecutors have not released additional information beyond those documents.
Officials' guidance
Washington County officials are using the incident as a reminder for visitors to stick to campground rules and to report trouble quickly. They advise calling 9-1-1 in an emergency or using the Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at 651-439-9381 for suspicious behavior. The county's Jail Division and Law Enforcement Center provide contact information for bookings and inquiries, while investigators and court staff handle case records. Officials have not released further details about motive or possible injuries as the investigation continues.
