Crime & Safety

Eagan Road Rage Incident Ends with a Clubbed Car

Roger Carl Pautz, 70, of Eagan was charged in the incident.

Eagan police say a man hit a car with a golf club after a road rage incident in the city.

Roger Carl Pautz, 70, was charged with first-degree criminal damage to property, a felony, and two misdemeanor fifth-degree assault charges (causing fear and bodily harm).

Eagan police responded to the Taco Bell on Towne Center Drive upon receiving a report that someone was hitting a car with a golf club, according to the complaint. The vehicles were gone when police arrived, but police located Pautz a short distance away and then they located the victim.

The victim was a 17-year-old male. He told the police that Pautz had been following him too closely, so he tapped his brakes to get him to back off. When that did not work, he began to drive slowly. Pautz tried to pass him three times, but the victim would change lanes at the same time to prevent Pautz from driving by him. The victim agreed that both were participating in a road rage incident.

He told the police that he then turned into the Taco Bell parking lot and stayed in his car. Pautz followed him into the parking lot, exited his vehicle and the two began to argue. A passenger in the victim's car recorded the scene on video.

They argued with each other, according to the complaint, and Pautz ordered the victim out of the car. When he refused, Pautz grabbed the vehicle's window and shook the vehicle. He also tried to pull open the car door, which was locked. 

The victim said that Pautz then grabbed a golf club from his own vehicle and hit the victim's vehicle with it as he tried to leave the parking lot. Police said that they could hear the sound of glass breaking and the impact of the golf club on the vehicle.

Pautz told the police that he put his hand through the window to try to scare the victim and "may have tried to hit or slap" him. He also said that the victim had run over his foot. The victim said that he did not see Pautz fall over until he was leaving the parking lot.

The estimated cost of damage to the vehicle is $5329.89. Pautz faces up to 5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.

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