Charges: Rochester, MN Hotel Worker Threatened with Knife, Officer Assaulted

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A Rochester man with a violent criminal history is facing three felony charges as the result of an incident at a Rochester hotel earlier this week. 

Get our free mobile app

The criminal complaint, filed Thursday in Olmsted County Court, says Rochester Police responded to the hotel on Wednesday on the report of an assault. A hotel employee told officers a man who had been vacated from the hotel due to a lack of payment had threatened her with a knife on two occasions. 

The woman said 36-year-old Corey Wayne Nevels had been a guest at the hotel during previous weeks and was instructed to leave after not paying. She accused Nevels of cornering her then pointing a knife at her when she attempted to vacate him, the charges say. 

The employee said she deescalated the situation and walked Nevels to the lobby where he began damaging property then threatened her with the knife for a second time, according to the complaint. The woman contacted police once Nevels left the property. 

Responding officers found Nevels a short distance from the hotel and immediately saw him with the knife. Nevels refused officer commands and told police they would have to shoot him, the complaint says. 

Officers then forcibly arrested Nevels, who struck an officer in the throat during the brief struggle. The officer suffered a visible injury to the throat and experienced pain. Once in custody police reported finding 0.4 grams of suspected meth in Nevels’s wallet, according to the charges. 

Nevels has been charged with second-degree assault, fourth-degree assault of a peace officer and felony drug possession. Nevels was arraigned on the charges Friday morning. A judge set his bail at $30,000 without conditions and set his next court appearance for July 13. 

Court records indicate Nevels was convicted of assaulting a peace officer in 2020. His criminal history also includes multiple assault and drug-related convictions. 

Story was updated to includes Nevels's bail and next court date.