A Saint Paul man punched, strangled and tried to run over the victim during a violent assault in a parked vehicle as two women watched and recorded video, according to the complaint.
Taroji Thao, 39, faces a charge of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. The charge was filed Tuesday, September 1, in Ramsey County District Court.
According to court documents, officers responded to the 1500 block of Phalen Drive in Saint Paul at about 7:19 p.m. on August 27 after a report of an in-progress domestic assault inside a vehicle. Officers found the victim crying, with a cut on her lower lip, redness on her shoulder, a scrape on her elbow and what appeared to be a bite mark on her leg.
READ MORE → Ramsey County coverage
The victim told officers she and Thao had been at work earlier that day, where Thao became intoxicated. They returned to their residence on Atlantic Street in Saint Paul to pack belongings because the home was being condemned. The victim agreed to help Thao move his property to a storage unit. Thao began drinking with friends, and after packing some belongings into a white Jeep Compass, Thao drove the vehicle around the area, arguing with the victim.
The victim said Thao assaulted her during the drive, then kicked her out of the car. As she exited, Thao grabbed her dress and ripped it off. The victim ran to the back of the vehicle to get another dress from the trunk. Thao then exited the vehicle, grabbed her arms and forced them behind her back. The victim reported that Thao bit her and tried to run her over with the vehicle. She also said Thao punched her in the mouth earlier at the home.
Two female witnesses told police they saw a white Jeep Compass pull up near them. The male driver parked and began assaulting the victim, punching and strangling her. The victim exited the vehicle in her underwear, grabbed a bottle and threw it at the Jeep Compass. The male exited, retrieved the bottle and returned to the vehicle, then drove toward the victim in an attempt to strike her.
The male then chased the victim, grabbed her by the hair and smashed her head on the pavement. One witness said the back and side of the victim’s head hit the pavement. The second witness pushed the male off the victim, and the male fled in the vehicle.
The witnesses provided video of the assault to police. The footage showed the male driving the vehicle toward the victim, who moved out of the way as the Jeep Compass ran over her purse. The male then chased the victim.
Thao was arrested on August 30. He denied knowing the victim and denied being at the scene.
About This Charge
Minnesota classifies assault by degree under § 609.221 (first), § 609.222 (second), § 609.223 (third), § 609.2231 (fourth) and § 609.224 (fifth). First-degree assault, alleging great bodily harm, carries up to 20 years in prison. The lower degrees range from misdemeanor up to 10-year felony exposure depending on weapon use and harm.
Related MN CRIME Coverage
Saint Paul Woman Pulls Knife on 2 in Dog Dispute • 3 Juveniles Targeted, 2 Wounded in Saint Paul Drive-By Shooting • Pursuit Ends With Shots Fired at Unmarked Squad in Maplewood
Jurisdictional Context
Ramsey County encompasses Saint Paul and is served by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office. Felony cases are heard in the Second Judicial District at the Ramsey County Courthouse in downtown Saint Paul; the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office operates the Ramsey County Correctional Facility in Maplewood.
