On January 27, 2026, law enforcement was dispatched to a report of an assault call. C. R., fully identified in police reports, called dispatch to report she was at a gas station with S. W., fully identified in police reports. C. R. Said S. W. Was assaulted the prior night. S. W. Spoke to dispatch and reported Johnathan David Vanzandt, D. O. B. 06/09/1979, defendant herein, held a gun to her head. S. W. Said defendant made her stand in the shower for over 8 hours. The heat was turned off. S. W. Stated she tried to sneak out a few times, but defendant would wake up.
Eventually she left the residence in one of the vehicles. Officers met C. R. And S. W. At the gas station. They went back to the Waite Park Police Department. S. W. Provided a statement about what occurred. S. W. Reported defendant and her went to C. R.'s residence on January 25 to do laundry and help with painting. C. R. Asked them to help watch her child. S. W. Wanted to stay to help. Defendant was mad and said that S. W. Was not respecting him because he wanted to go back to their residence. On January 26, 2026, defendant and S. W. Left C. R.'s residence and went back to their residence in the City of Waite Park, County of Stearns, State of Minnesota.
While in the vehicle going back to their residence there was a verbal altercation. Once they arrived at the residence defendant demanded S. W. To get out of the car. While defendant was in the driver's seat and S. W. Was in the passenger seat defendant hit S. W. In the throat with his arm. Defendant then got out of the car and went over to the passenger side. Defendant dragged S. W. Out of the car by her hair and her clothes. Defendant dragged and pushed S. W. Into the residence. He told her she was not moving fast enough.
Defendant also made a comment that it was his intent to "off" her. Once inside the residence the two of them were inside the kitchen. Defendant forced or pushed S. W. Onto the ground. She was initially on her hands and knees, and then eventually laying on her back in the kitchen, while crying. Defendant went into a different room and came back with S. W.'s firearm. S. W. Stated her firearm is a black 44 Ruger. S. W. Stated she previously hid the gun after defendant used the gun to scare her. When she hid the gun, the magazine was not inside the magazine well.
When defendant returned to the kitchen with the firearm the magazine was inside the magazine well. She was unsure if there were bullets in the magazine, but S. W. Said she typically kept bullets loaded in the magazine. Defendant told S. W. To go to the bathroom because she stunk. Defendant held the firearm to S. W.'s temple and told her that her "life depends on it." S. W. Took that to mean that if she did not comply with defendant's demands, he would shoot her. S. W. Started to crawl towards the bathroom as defendant was holding the gun and ordering her to go to the bathroom.
