On Saturday, May 23, 2026, Otter Tail County Sheriffs Deputy Kelby Jensen responded to a report of an assault that occurred at a residence in New York Mills, Otter Tail County. The complainant indicated that she had received pictures of KAK being assaulted recently by Bryan Mark Ternus, [DOB REDACTED], the Defendant herein, and that another assault had occurred two days ago. Deputy Jensen went to the complainant's residence and spoke to complainant and KAK. KAK stated that she is in a relationship with Defendant and they have children together.
They had been separated and approximately two weeks prior he moved back into the residence. They had been arguing since Defendant moved back in and one week prior during an argument he grabbed her by the back of the head and hit her head on a workbench in the garage and threatened to kill her. She went the door leading from the garage to the house and turned around and Defendant was standing behind her and he shoved her back into the wall and she hit her head on the wall. KAK had an area of swelling and bruising on her forehead from where her head hit the workbench.
She stated Defendant also threw a can of spray paint at her that hit her in the shoulder and left a bruise. KAK also stated approximately four nights ago she and Defendant were arguing and he grabbed a space heater and slammed it on the ground between them and it hit her foot and cut her foot. Deputy Jensen observed injuries to her foot. KAK said another incident occurred two days ago when they got into an argument and she got into the car to leave. Defendant yelled at her that she could not leave and reached though the open window and grabbed her around the neck and squeezed.
She closed the window enough for him to let go and she drove away. Deputy Jensen spoke to the complainant who had received photographs from KAK of injuries she sustained over the last week, including pictures of a bruise on her back from the paint can, and a bloody t-shirt from KAK sustaining a bloody nose. Deputies then went to the residence and located Defendant. He denied any altercation occurring and said that KAK had not been at the residence since Tuesday. When Deputies confronted him about KAK being their with the children, he then said yes she had been there but denied that any altercations had occurred.
Defendant was asked if he knew what happened to KAK's head and how it was injured he stated that it wasn't like he had smashed her head or something, while making a motion of his hand comin down on the table, consistent with how KAK had described that he smashed her head on the workbench. Deputies pointed out that they had not made any mention of KAK hitting her head on a table and Defendant began laughing and rubbing his face and said it was a "snarky joke." Defendant was informed he was being placed under arrest.
