On October 5, 2025, at approximately 5:57pm, Officer Oelrich of the Moorhead Police Department responded via phone call, to a report of a possible assault that occurred at an address on Chelsea Avenue in Moorhead, Clay County. B. G., hereinafter "Victim," reported that he had known Timothy John Eaton [DOB REDACTED], hereinafter "Defendant," for several years. Victim indicated he knew the Defendant had fallen on some hard times and invited him to his home on Chelsea Avenue in Moorhead, Minnesota. The Defendant arrived at the Victim's home at approximately 3:00am on October 5, 2025. The Victim further stated that he and the Defendant's interactions through the day had been mostly normal but that the Defendant had been acting strangely, spending most of his time in his vehicle.
The Victim [NAME REDACTED]. At approximately 5:35pm the Victim exited the front door of his home to speak with the Defendant. The Defendant exited his vehicle and exclaimed to the Victim "Don't ever do that f****** s*** again." According to the Victim, the Defendant looked like he had snapped and was staring at the Victim with a stone-cold stare. At that time the Defendant walked up to the Victim [NAME REDACTED] in head lock. The Victim's back was facing towards the door and the Defendant was facing the opposite direction with his face towards the door.
The Victim was bent over and the Defendant had him in a one- armed headlock with his right arm around the Victim's neck. The headlock lasted for approximately ten seconds and near the end, the Defendant yanked hard on the Victim's neck. The Victim [NAME REDACTED] was hard to breathe and he began to panic. The Victim recalled hearing his neck crack and was beginning to black out and his vision was going black. The Victim screamed that his neck cracked and that is when the Defendant let go. When Officer Oelrich asked the Victim what was going through his mind during that time, the Victim indicated he "thought he was trying to kill me." Once the Defendant let go of the Victim, [NAME REDACTED] into his home, slammed the door and would not let the Defendant inside.
Officer Oelrich spoke with the Defendant who indicated the Victim had been acting oddly and when the Victim excited his home and approached him, the Defendant believed the Victim was going to hug him. The Defendant put his hands up to block the Victim from doing anything and when the Victim [NAME REDACTED], the Defendant placed him in a headlock. The Defendant stated the headlock went really fast and he let go as soon as the Victim's neck cracked. Victim provided Officer Oelrich with a photograph of his neck in which Officer Oelrich was able to see a red mark.
Defendant has a conviction for an HRO violation on 3/12/2025: see 19HA-CR-24-2315 ### PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: Pursuant to Minn. Stat. 609.49., intentional failure to appear for duly scheduled court appearances may result in additional criminal charges, and in addition to any arrest warrant that may otherwise be issued by the Court.
