Colfax man sentenced to nine months for battery to an unborn child, other charges

By LeAnn R. Ralph

COLFAX — A 22-year-old Colfax man has been sentenced to nine months in jail and two years of probation for battery to an unborn child, felony bail jumping, fleeing an officer and possession of methamphetamine.

Jacob H. Foslid was sentenced in Dunn County Circuit Court on October 17.

Foslid faced 16 charges all together, and 11 of them were dismissed on a motion from Dunn County District Attorney James Peterson.

On July 10, Foslid pleaded no contest to the charges of battery to an unborn child, two counts of felony bail jumping, along with one count each of fleeing an officer and possession of methamphetamine.

Eleven other charges were dismissed: five counts of felony bail jumping, domestic battery, disorderly conduct, possession with intent to deliver non-narcotics, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of amphetamine with intent to deliver.

Court assessments totaled $2,065.

The Honorable Rod Smeltzer ordered Huber privileges for Foslid, and also ordered that Foslid seek and obtain employment or continue his education, do an alcohol assessment and maintain sobriety.

Foslid was first arrested in June of 2012 for possession of drugs after being stopped on a traffic violation. Methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found in Foslid’s car, and based on those findings, a Dunn County judge issued a search warrant for Foslid’s apartment above the Colfax Health Mart pharmacy on Main Street.

A Dunn County Sheriff’s Department deputy stopped Foslid again on October 30 of 2012 for speeding in the Town of Colfax, and following the traffic stop, the 21-year-old Foslid was charged with additional felony counts of possessing methamphetamine with intent to deliver, possession of meth, felony bail jumping and a misdemeanor count of possessing drug paraphernalia.

The charges of battery to an unborn child, domestic battery, felony bail jumping and disorderly conduct were related to an incident that occurred March 1 of this year.

According to the criminal complaint, Samantha Osterberg, 18, reported that she had been assaulted by Jacob Foslid at their residence on County Highway N in the Town of Colfax.

Osterberg also faced various drug charges as a party to a crime in connection with the traffic stop in June of 2012. She pleaded guilty March 8 to the misdemeanor charge of possessing marijuana, and on a prosecutor’s motion, the other felonies of possessing marijuana with intent to deliver, possessing methamphetamine with intent to deliver and possession of methamphetamine were dismissed.

Judge Rod Smeltzer withheld sentencing and placed Osterberg on one year of probation and ordered her to complete 20 hours of community service.

According to the complaint, following the March 1 incident, Osterberg told investigators that she was nine weeks pregnant with Foslid’s child and that when she attempted to talk to him about sobering up and giving up “the dope,” they began arguing.

Foslid reportedly bit Osterberg on the wrist, the leg and the arm, threw a lamp at her, slapped her, kicked her in the stomach, pulled her hair, hit her in the head with a closed fist and threw a set of keys at her.

Investigators noted that they had observed bruises from the bites that Osterberg described.

Foslid was seen in violation of a “no contact” order with Osterberg on June 5, and the Colfax Police Department was involved in a vehicle pursuit with Foslid.

Although the officer lost sight of Foslid’s vehicle, the car was relocated a short while later, and Foslid fled into the woods on foot.

The Colfax Police Department requested the Dunn County Sheriff’s Department’s tracking dog to track Foslid, and the sheriff’s department assisted in apprehending Foslid.

Judge Smeltzer sentenced Foslid to seven months in jail for the charge of battery to an unborn child. In addition, Foslid was sentenced to nine months for felony bail jumping, nine months for fleeing an officer, and two years of probation for each of the charges of fleeing an officer, bail jumping, and possession of methamphetamine.

The jail time and probation for each charge are concurrent with each other.