Man sentenced in Hibbing chainsaw wrench attack
(FOX 9) - A man who was wanted in a northern Minnesota jail escape last year was sentenced for an assault case on Thursday.
Hart sentenced for attack
What we know:
Michael Todd Hart, 41, was sentenced on Thursday for burglary in the first degree, misdemeanor assault, and violation of a Domestic Abuse No Contact Order.
He was ordered to serve nearly 4 years in prison.
The backstory:
Hart entered a Hibbing apartment and assaulted two people with a chainsaw wrench. One of the victims was his on-and-off girlfriend.
The attack ended when the other resident shot Hart in the abdomen. Hart left the scene and was later found at an Itasca hospital with a gunshot wound.
In a separate case, Hart was found in the presence of someone who had a Domestic Abuse No Contact Order against him.
Jail escape and two-week manhunt
Timeline:
While being held on charges from the Hibbing case, Hart is accused of escaping from the Northeast Regional Corrections Center on September 23, 2025. Staff did not realize he was missing until more than two hours later during a routine count.
After a two-week search, deputies received a tip that Hart was in the Iron Range area. They found him hiding under a basement stairwell at a home in Cohasset.
During the arrest, Hart was uncooperative and assaulted deputies. Authorities also arrested a 29-year-old woman at the home for helping Hart avoid capture.
What's next:
Hart is slated for a plea hearing in the escape case on June 22. He will appear remotely from prison for that hearing.