Cottage Grove man sentenced for damage to truck after domestic

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A Cottage Grove man was sentenced for damaging a truck with his fist and a car jack during a fight in St. Paul Park.

Jesse K. Hoffman, 30, will avoid a 17-month prison sentence if he completes probation conditions, including serving 180 days in jail, after he pleaded guilty to felony first-degree property damage and two misdemeanors in connection with an Aug. 20, 2011, incident.

The criminal complaint filed in Washington County District Court describes the incident this way:

St. Paul Park police saw Hoffman running to chase a truck in the area of Seventh Avenue and Second Street. He said he was trying to catch people who stole his cellphone. Meanwhile, police received reports that Hoffman had been involved in a fight with his girlfriend.

During a police interview, Hoffman’s girlfriend said the two of them got in a fight over a phone call she received from another man. Hoffman allegedly sprayed her in the eyes with dish soap and they got into a physical altercation, ending up on the floor. She hit her head.

The woman called another male to come get her, and Hoffman saw his girlfriend get in a pickup. The complaint says Hoffman got into a fight with another man in the back of the pickup and put the man in a headlock. The man couldn’t breathe for 20 seconds.

Hoffman admitted to punching a passenger-side of the truck and was blamed for a shattered back window caused by a car jack part. The complaint says Hoffman apologized to the truck owner after the incident and asked if the man had insurance.

Hoffman was sentenced Nov. 15. In addition to the property damage conviction, he had pleaded guilty to fifth-degree assault and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors.

Tags: crime and courts, updates, crime