WINONA, Minn. — A man described as “absolutely nuts” and fighting at a West Side bar was arrested with an almost off-the-charts blood-alcohol level. This was about 8:50 p.m. The night got wilder. Not until after 11 o’clock was Matthew Martine Sheetz, age 28, of Eagle Lake, booked at the jail house — and this after belligerent and disruptive episodes at an intermediate stop at the Winona hospital emergency room. Police gave this account:
> Officers responded to a call from the Cornerstone Bar at 501 West Fifth Street. Patrons said that Sheetz had kicked in door to the men’s toilet and was inside. The man was “absolutely nuts,” one patron said.
> One patron told police he had followed Sheetz to the toilet room to check on his well-being and was punched about 10 times. The patron, police said, had swollen marks on his face and a small cut but declined attention.
> Police found Sheetz still in the toilet room and grasping a partially drunk bottle of Fireball cinnamon whisky. A mirror had been ripped from the wall. Officers described Sheetz as “highly intoxicated” with bloodshot eyes and his speech heavily slurred. A breath test showed his blood at 0.246% alcohol — triple the legal definition of impairment.
>Because of his level of intoxication, Sheetz was taken to the hospital emergency room to determine whether could be jailed or needed hospitalization.
> At the hospital he was uncooperative and defiant, kicking and swinging, verbally abusing the staff and officers, refusing to lay down for intoxication checks, and ripping medical testing devices from his body.
> The wild behavior continued at jail. Sheetz refused to be uncuffed and grabbed an officer by the coat. The booking was completed finally at 11:18 p.m. His cell door was locked behind him. The charges: Obstructing police, disorderly conduct, assault, and violating terms of his probation.