by John McLoone

A Hastings man accused of multiple charges after a July 2-3 incident a Hastings mobile home park where two children were allegedly held hostage has been charged also with two felony counts of “Violation of Domestic Abuse No Contact Order.”

Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 days to _ve years incarceration and $3,000 – $10,000 in _nes.

Offenses occurred July 8 and 14, according to a Dakota County complaint.

Gerald Edward Bolster remains held in the Dakota County Jail on separate bail provisions of $200,000 and $20,000.

In the early morning of July 13, a 15-hour standoff at a residence in the Three Rivers Mobile Home Park in Hastings ended with the arrest of Bolster, 36, 54 Radford Rd. Bolster was jailed on three counts of Threats of Violence (Intent to Terrorize), Violation

of a Harassment/Restraining Order (Two or More Prior Convictions) and two counts of Child Endangerment.

Bolster was arrested after tactical units utilized _ash bang grenades to take him into custody.

Both charges stem from Bolster’s contact with a woman he’s forbidden from contacting by court order for 10 years.

The Statement of Probable Cause _led in court states that Bolster was initially issued a Harassment Restraining order May 22. “Defendant was arrested and subsequently charged with multiple counts of Threats of Violence and Child Endangerment…On July 7, 2020, the Court issued a Domestic Assault No Contact Order barring Defendant from having contact with (the woman) and two

minor children,” according to the statement.

“Law enforcement reviewed jail calls made by Defendant between July 5 and July 14, 2020. Defendant makes multiple phone calls during this period in attempts to contact (the woman),” the statement reads.

Gerald Edward Bolster

On July 5, just two days after him being arrested, Bolster reportedly called someone named Adam and asked him to make a threeway call with the woman. “When Adam asks Defendant who he wants him to call Defendant replies, ‘Who do you think I want you to call?’” Bolster then provided the woman’s

phone number. Bolster allegedly tried to call the woman from jail twice late in the night on July 8.

He called the woman and two children on July 14. According to the court _ling, “Defendant calls (woman) and tell her ‘no names’ during the _rst part of the conversation. Defendant proceeds to speak to (both children) during the conversation. While speaking to Child 1, Defendant states that she will ‘need to testify’ and that if he

‘would have had a gun two people would be dead with bullet holes

in their head.’”

A statement issued after the July 3 arrest from Hastings Police

Chief Bryan Schaefer reads:

“On Thursday, July 2, 2020, at about 11:30 a.m., Hastings Police responded to a disturbance at a residence on Radford Rd. in 3 Rivers Mobile Home Park. When of_cers arrived, they attempted to separate the male and female residents in order to gain information about the disturbance. As the female exited the residence with 2 children,

the male subject _ed back into the residence with the 2 remaining children ages 4 and 13. The female and 2 children were moved to safety and the area was secured. Hastings Police issued an Everbridge Alert to local residents to shelter-in-place, while some were evacuated by of_cers.

“South-Metro SWAT and Hostage Negotiators were immediately

summoned to the scene and began negotiations with the barricaded

male. Due to extreme temperatures, a number of SWAT of_cers

suffered heat exhaustion. As a result, Washington County SWAT,

East-Metro SWAT, Hastings Fire, and a number of regional EMS Paramedics responded. During the 15- hour standoff, over a dozen of_cers were treated at the scene and at least 3 were hospitalized.

“At approx. 10 p.m. SWAT safely rescued the 13-year old. After

numerous attempts to have the male subject release the 4-year old,

SWAT forced entry into the residence at about 2:20 a.m. rescuing the child and taking the subject into custody.”