Man Charged After Barbed-Wire Bat Assault in Itasca County
BY MN CRIME STAFF
A 43-year-old man is facing felony charges after prosecutors say he attacked another person with a barbed wire-wrapped baseball bat in Itasca County.
Prosecutors say the incident happened around 1:45 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 25 at a residence on the 60000 block of Village Road in Squaw Lake.
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According to the criminal complaint, the victim was found standing inside the home when deputies arrived, holding a towel tightly against his forearm in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
Deputies observed a long laceration on the victim’s right forearm along with blood droplets throughout the kitchen, dining room and living room. Additional blood was found outside near the back door, including on the deck, railing and nearby propane tanks, with splatter extending several feet away from the porch.
The victim told deputies that Gary Thomas O’Shea, of Hines, came to the residence and met him near the back of the house. According to the victim, O’Shea appeared psychotic and began arguing about $50 in cash that had been borrowed to him. The victim reported that O’Shea then began swinging a wooden bat, aiming toward his head. The victim said he raised his forearm to block the blows and was struck approximately 10 times, causing the injury. He told deputies he feared for his life.
Emergency medical crews from Deer River Ambulance responded and began treating the victim at the scene. While examining his arm, medics noted a deformity and raised concern that the forearm or elbow may have been broken. The victim was transported for further medical care. The extent of his injuries was not detailed in the court filings.
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Deputies learned that O’Shea had left the area shortly before they arrived and was believed to be driving a gray sedan. Law enforcement later located a vehicle matching that description at O’Shea’s residence in Hines. Deputies reported the hood of the vehicle was warm and the license plate matched the vehicle listed to O’Shea.
According to the complaint, O’Shea initially refused to come out of the residence despite repeated commands over a loudspeaker. A deputy eventually spoke with him by phone, but he continued to refuse. O’Shea later exited the home and was taken into custody. During a search of the residence, deputies found clothing with what appeared to be blood spatter. The baseball bat described by the victim was not located.
O’Shea is charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon causing substantial bodily harm, second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and third-degree assault causing substantial bodily harm. The most serious charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Court records also note that O’Shea has several pending and recent criminal cases, including a pending felony firearm-related case and a gross misdemeanor harassment conviction from 2024.
O’Shea made his initial court appearance, where bail was set at $10,000 with conditions including no contact with the victim, no alcohol use and remaining law-abiding. Court records show bail was posted and O’Shea was released ahead of his next court appearance, which is scheduled for Feb. 4. A booking photo was not immediately available.
