Minnesota-Duluth forward J.T. Brown, the rookie of the year last season for the Bulldogs and the most outstanding player at the Frozen Four, has been summoned to appear in St. Louis County District Court on Aug. 18 on charges that he gave a false name to a peace officer and attempted to flee police during an incident at Grandma’s Sports Garden back on June 18.
Brown is charged with a gross misdemeanor and a misdemeanor after allegedly giving Duluth police another man’s Minnesota driver’s license as identification when he entered the bar. Brown turned 21 on July 2.
According to the criminal complaint obtained by the Duluth News Tribune, the officer who checked Brown’s ID could tell from the photograph that he wasn’t the same person, even though Brown gave the officer the name of the person on the license, as well as the address listed. After the officer asked Brown to sign his name, the signature didn’t match the one on the license and Brown was to be taken to the county jail for identification.
The officer reportedly told Brown that if he cooperated he would be given a citation for a city ordinance violation that would not go on his criminal record. While the officer was writing the ticket, Brown ran out of the bar, only to be caught by another officer outside on the sidewalk. The two officers subdued Brown while handcuffs were applied.
“We are aware of the situation and we’ll deal with it appropriately at the right time,” UMD hockey coach Scott Sandelin told the Tribune.
