Minneapolis Man Accused of Ramming, Beating Cars in Eagan

One Twin Cities man's alleged criminal misadventure ended rather abruptly, after he unwittingly followed a woman to the Eagan Police Headquarters. 

Johnathan Cabral Rodriguez, 29, prime suspect in a property damage case, was arrested in the police parking lot for his involvement in an incident that had occurred in the early morning on June 11.

Around 5:25 a.m. the Eagan Police Department was called to a property on 
Holiday Lane on report of damaged property. When officers arrived, they found two vehicles that had been severely battered, with damages in excess of $8,000. One car seemed to have been bludgeoned with golf clubs. The windshield was broken, as were the side and rear windows, headlights and turn lights. The hood was pocked up by blows from a blunt object. A neighboring vehicle seemed to have been intentionally rammed by another car. The scene was littered with broken golf clubs, shattered glass and parts of the suspect car. 

Though the perpetrator had already left the area, investigating officers discovered a credit card belonging to Rodriguez in the backseat of one of the despoiled cars.

About two hours later, a woman arrived at the EPD lobby. She said that she'd been driving on Interstate 35E when she noticed a strange man tailing her. He followed her all the way into the police parking lot, then got out of his car to pursue her, yelling "Hey Megan."

That is not the woman's name. She told police that she didn't know the man, who was identified as Rodriguez shortly thereafter.

Rodriguez' car had significant front-end damage, consistent with ramming. Inside officers found blood spatter on the driver's side door, fresh shards of glass and golf clubs. The also found a debit card with a woman's name on it, blank checks and vehicle title application paperwork belonging to yet another woman, and a St. Croix Perks Reward Card belonging to a third person. It was later determined that the personal property belonged to the owners of the cars that had been damaged earlier that day. 

Rodriguez has been charged with first-degree criminal damage to property, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. He also faces several lesser charges for receiving stolen property, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, and driving with a revoked license.