A 20-year-old Saint Cloud man is accused of helping block a man’s escape during an attempted robbery in which another male punched him and threatened him with a bat while a third threatened him with a knife, according to the complaint.
The complaint lists two counts. The first is aiding and abetting attempted first-degree aggravated robbery, a felony punishable by up to 10 years or a $17,000 fine or both. The second is aiding and abetting fifth-degree assault (fear of bodily harm or death), a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail or a $1,000 fine or both. Both counts list an offense date of Oct. 30.
Eric Jason Lopez, 20, is charged with both counts in a complaint filed Nov. 5 in Stearns County District Court.
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According to the complaint, Saint Cloud police officers were dispatched to an assault on Oct. 30. The man told officers he was assaulted by four males as they tried to rob him. He said one male punched him in the head and threatened him with a miniature bat, while another pulled out a knife and threatened to kill him. He said all four ran away together when he said he was calling the police.
A witness told officers one of the males came up and punched the man in the back of the head and said the group was trying to steal the man’s bag. The witness also saw one of the males pull out a knife and knew three of the males.
Officers reviewed surveillance video from the 9th Avenue Xpress. The complaint says it showed one male striking the man from behind and then walking over to where Lopez and two other males were standing. The video showed one of them taking a bat or pipe out of a backpack and handing it to the male who had struck the man. The two approached the man. Another male reached into a pocket and pulled out what is believed to be a knife.
The complaint says another male went to the left of the parked cars and blocked the man’s exit to the left, while Lopez stood to the north of the group and blocked the man’s other exit. One of the males stood over the man’s backpack and would not let him go near it. The officer noted the man had a metal object in his hand, presumably to protect himself. The male then threw the backpack back at the man. All four walked away and appeared to be laughing.
Officers found the group just west of the incident location. According to the complaint, one male said the man had taken items that belonged to him, that the two got into an argument and that he punched the man. He said he had a small wooden bat. Another male said he was not involved and did not take part in the argument. A third male said the man had a pipe and he was defending himself, but he denied having a knife.
Officers found a black folding knife with a purple handle that matched the description of the weapon used. Officers recovered the small baseball bat from a concerned citizen. The complaint says video of the group walking past the Stearns County Law Enforcement Center showed them walking together in the same clothing they had on during the incident.
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