Man Arrested 44 Times In 18 Minnesota Counties

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) - A 37-year-old Minnesota man who has been arrested 44 times in 18 counties has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison for robbing a car and pet wash.

Richard Hegquist accepted a plea deal in the robbery case and was sentenced in State District Court in Duluth Wednesday to 71 months. Had the case gone to a jury trial, prosecutors would have asked to have Hegquist tried as a career offender, which could have meant 40 years in prison.

Hegquist has had 12 prior felony convictions and has been involved in 59 court cases. His first arrest came in 1996 for consuming alcohol at age 20.  In his latest crime, Hegquist brandished a screwdriver and punched the owner of the car and pet wash in the mouth during the burglary.