ELY- An Ely man who allegedly shot and killed a family member’s dog was released from the St. Louis County Jail this week on a $30,000 bond, on the condition that he immediately enter a drug treatment program.
Iver Paul Lepisto, age 19, is charged with seven counts for his actions on the evening of Sunday, Sept. 29, including felony third-degree assault, felony discharge of a firearm in city limits, felony attempt to disarm a peace officer, and a gross misdemeanor for animal cruelty.
According to a witness statement by a family member injured in the melee, Lepisto shot a companion dog belonging to another family member outside their house on the 400 block of East Boundary Street. He then brought the gun inside the house and returned outside, where he was reported to be yelling.
Another family member hid the gun while Lepisto was outside, but when Lepisto found out he became enraged, and began to assault her. Ely Police Department officers reported that Lepisto was fighting with the woman when they arrived at the residence and that they had to forcibly restrain him from attacking his family member and as they tried to place him in handcuffs. When asked if he had been using drugs, he said he had used “methamphetamine, PCP, and other substances,” according to the statement of probable cause.
The family member injured in the altercation with Lepisto was treated at Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital for a fractured nose, and lacerations and trauma to her face and scalp.
When arrested on Sept. 29, Lepisto was already scheduled for an Oct. 2 hearing on a previous charge of misdemeanor domestic assault from an incident on Aug. 12.
Amber Pederson, an assistant St. Louis County attorney, argued for an unconditional bail of $100,000 and requested a mental health screening. The prosecutor’s bail memo noted, “While the defendant has no significant criminal history, his family members have indicated that he has a history of mental illness and use of controlled substances.”
Lepisto was released on Oct. 22 directly to Northland Recovery. He is scheduled for an omnibus hearing on Nov. 12 for both the Aug. 12 and Sept. 29 charges.