Man Charged In Rochester Confrontation Involving Tire Iron, Car

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Update, June 2024: This article has been updated to remove identifying information about the accused after Townsquare Media was presented with court documentation indication the charges were dismissed.

Rochester, MN (KROC AM News) -  A brewing feud that led to a confrontation in Rochester has resulted in a criminal case against a Dodge Center man.

Charged this week in Olmsted County Court with a felony riot charge was a 50-year-old man.

According to the criminal complaint, the incident happened on July 24th. Witnesses called 911 to “report a brawl” in the middle of a street. They also “described a head-on crash between two cars” that was followed by “a fist-fight among four or five guys.”

Officers learned “the background to the fight was a neighbor dispute. Two women live next to each other and have been feuding in recent weeks.”

One of the women is the accused's mother and the other dates the second man who was involved in the July 24th confrontation.

Police learned the accused had parked a truck in the street blocking the other woman’s driveway. When the woman and the other man returned, the confrontation began. Witnesses told officers the accused eventually began moving his truck. Moments later, the other man rammed his car into the front of the accused’s truck.

Witnesses say the accused then grabbed a tire iron and began hitting the windshield of the other man’s car. He then began hitting the other man in the body and head with the tire iron.

The accused told officers he hit the man in self defense but he was arrested. The other man is also expected to face charges.

News update:  Minnesota deputy crashes into car while responding to 911 call.