Charges: Man illegally parked in handicap spot, assaulted man with tire iron when confronted

A New Hope man is charged with assault after he allegedly used a tire iron to strike a man who confronted him for illegally parking in a handicap spot.

Stephen Todey, 24, is charged with third-degree assault for the incident.

According to a criminal complaint, Brooklyn Center police responded to a Walgreens at 6390 Brooklyn Boulevard on Sunday after an assault was reported.

Upon their arrival, officers talked with a man who was covered in blood and had multiple injuries to his face. The man told police he'd been at the nearby Legion with his girlfriend. After leaving the Legion, they came to Walgreens because his girlfriend has multiple sclerosis and her symptoms were bad that day. They attempted to park in a handicap parking spot but found another vehicle parked in the spot without a handicap sticker, the complaint states.

The victim told police he got out of the vehicle and confronted the driver of the vehicle parked in the handicap spot, who was later identified as Todey. The two started arguing and Todey then grabbed a tire iron from his vehicle and struck the victim with it.

The complaint states the victim's girlfriend told police she didn't see the tire iron from her vantage point, but heard it hit the ground at one point. Todey then struck the victim multiple times with a closed fist, knocking the victim to the ground where Todey then kicked and stomped on the victim before leaving.

Police reviewed surveillance video, which corroborated the victim's statements, the complaint states. Officers tracked down Todey later Sunday evening by identifying his vehicle. The complaint states Todey was extremely intoxicated when he was arrested, and he admitted to being at the Walgreens earlier.

The victim was taken to a hospital and diagnosed with a nasal bone fracture and a traumatic brain injury that caused him to temporarily lose consciousness, as well as other contusions and minor injuries, the complaint states.

Todey's first court appearance was set for Wednesday afternoon.