Mark Pavelich Photo courtesy of Cook County Law Enforcement
Following a court-ordered mental evaluation after an unprovoked attack on a neighbor and fishing buddy, former Olympic hockey star Mark Pavelich was found unfit to stand trial by Judge Michael Cuzzo.
The judge gave his ruling in District Court held in Grand Marais on Monday, Oct. 28.
Judge Cuzzo issued his determination based on the advice of Dr. Chris Bowerman, a forensic and clinical psychologist who met with Pavelich twice in September to determine Pavelich’s competency to stand trial.
Dr. Bowerman determined Pavelich had post-traumatic stress disorder and secondary psychotic features. He also said Mark had an unspecified neurocognitive disorder and should remain confined and would need psychiatric treatment with neuroleptic medications.
On August 20, 2019, Pavelich, 61, was arrested after he allegedly struck his neighbor with a metal pole. The two men had just come back from fishing when Mark accused the man of spiking his beer.
Mark was charged with four felony counts of second- and third-degree assault. When searching Mark’s house, Cook County law enforcement also found a shotgun whose barrel had been sawed off shorter than the legal 26 inches. The serial numbers on the shotgun had also been altered or were missing. Second-degree felony charges come with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. The third-degree felony charges carry a maximum of five years and up to a $10,000 fine.
Mark was a high school hockey star for the Eveleth Golden Bears. He went on to play three years at the University of Minnesota Duluth, earning All-America honors, forgoing his senior year to play hockey for the 1980 U.S.A. hockey team that beat Russia’s team in the “Miracle on Ice” game. The U.S. team then beat Finland to win the gold medal.
Considered by many scouts and pro teams to be too small to play professionally, Mark’s Olympic Coach Herb Brooks made sure that when he became head coach of the New York Rangers that the Rangers would sign Mark.
Following a professional hockey career that took Mark overseas, he moved to Cook County, where he purchased property. He became a land developer and is known for his love of hunting and fishing, and privacy.
Mark’s wife, Kara Pavelich, died in 2012 after falling from the couple’s second-story deck.
Under an agreement with the court, Mark’s charges will be dropped after three years unless Cook County presses for the felony charges to be enacted.
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