A 17-year-old Detroit Lakes High School student has been charged with two felonies after allegedly pulling a knife on another student during a verbal altercation at the high school.
Dylan Scott-Paul Spenst, of 16914 Sharon Ave., Detroit Lakes, has been charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and possessing a dangerous weapon on school property.
According to court records: at about 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 22, high school administrators called police liaison officer Beau Shroyer. He met them in the school garage, where Spenst, dressed in Army fatigues, was being detained.
He denied any knowledge of a knife, but investigation allegedly revealed that he and another boy got into a verbal altercation at the building trades house behind the high school. Spenst allegedly pulled a knife out of his backpack and held it in his right hand.
The other teen left the scene and Spenst allegedly went across the street and gave the knife to a woman who lives in an apartment there.
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The woman, Ashli Charlotte Salzwedel, said she was outside that afternoon, saw a group of boys running and heard them talking about a knife.
She said Spenst walked towards her, she asked if he had a knife and he said he did. She asked him to give the weapon to her so he wouldn't have it at school.
She gave the knife, sheathed in leather, with a 3½-inch blade, to a police officer.
On Tuesday, Spenst appeared before District Judge Joe Evans and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
He was released to his mother, under a number of conditions, including no contact with the alleged victim, and no possession of a firearm or knife designed to be used as a weapon. Eating utensils are allowed.
A pretrial hearing is set for Feb. 23.
