Two men charged in Montevideo, Minnesota stabbing, third in custody – West Central Tribune

MONTEVIDEO – Two suspects are facing charges in connection with a brawl that took place in downtown Montevideo on September 1, in which three men were treated for stab wounds. A third suspect is in custody.

Jeremy Mark Rongstad, 50, of Montevideo, made his first appearance in Chippewa County District Court Friday morning for a bail hearing on charges of third-degree assault and aiding and abetting first-degree assault.

Judge Laurence Stratton set unconditional bail for Rongstad at $250,000. Conditional bail was not granted.

Rongstad's next appearance is scheduled for Sept. 16. He was still in custody Saturday morning at the Chippewa County Jail, where he has been held since Wednesday.

Luis Daniel Torres Rodriguez, 45, of Clarkfield, made his first court appearance Friday afternoon. He had been held in the Yellow Medicine County Jail since Thursday evening, according to the online jail roster, and remained there as of Saturday morning.

Judge Laurence Stratton set unconditional bail for Rodriguez at $175,000. Conditional bail was not granted.

Rodriguez is also charged with third-degree assault and aiding and abetting first-degree assault. His next hearing is scheduled for September 11.

Post from Yellow Medicine County Sheriff's Office

A third suspect, named in court documents, was booked into the Chippewa County Jail Friday afternoon and remained there until Saturday morning with three charges of first-degree aggravated assault still pending, according to the online jail roster. The West Central Tribune does not typically name suspects before a court date, which the Tribune could not confirm late Friday.

According to the criminal complaints filed, officers arrived at the Inn Like Flinn's bar on South First Street in downtown Montevideo early on September 1 and found an unconscious man lying on the street.

Officers had to shake the man awake to get him to move and then discovered a stab wound in the man's back.

The man was taken by ambulance to CCM Health Hospital in Montevideo and then flown to another hospital for further treatment.

An earlier press release from the Montevideo police said the hospital subsequently informed police that two other men had been admitted with cuts in a private vehicle.

One of those men was also flown to another medical facility. The man, who initially remained in Montevideo for treatment, was later transferred to another hospital, court documents show.

The two criminal complaints against Rodriguez and Rongstad are based largely on video footage from businesses and a residence. The timing of the various events referenced is not always clear, but both complaints state that a fight first broke out in the bar, with the two men sitting there interacting with other “suspects.”

The complaints do not indicate how many suspects there are.

Another fight occurred outside the bar on the street. The complaint states: “As the victims attempted to leave, they were followed by the suspects.” Rongstad, Rodriguez and the third suspect named in one of the complaints followed the group.

Rodriguez is said to have started a fight with a person in front of a neighboring store.

According to the complaint, Rodriguez and another person, listed in the complaint as an “unknown suspect,” then knocked another man to the ground – the man was unconscious when police arrived.

While the man was on the ground, Rongstad allegedly kicked him in the head and lay on top of him, and Rodriguez and the unknown suspect kicked and stomped on the man multiple times, according to the criminal complaint.

Video footage also allegedly showed Rongstad and Rodriguez running back toward the man Rodriguez had first fought with. According to criminal complaints, it appeared as though the two men then kicked the man while he was on the ground.

Additional video footage allegedly shows “the suspects” leaving the man and walking back to Inn Like Flinn's. Rodriguez allegedly stayed behind for a moment and kicked the man again.

The man was later taken to CCM Hospital by private vehicle. According to the complaint, he suffered multiple stab wounds and was later flown to another medical facility.

The lawsuit further states that the video shows Rodriguez walking past the unconscious man, who is still lying on the street, and kicking him several times.

The video shows the third named suspect and Rodriguez chasing a 911 caller standing outside the bar.

Video footage showed Rongstad going back into the bar and leaving through the back door.

Rongstad was arrested on Wednesday and later agreed to speak to an investigator.

According to the complaint, Rongstad said he tried to break up a fight while waiting for a taxi on Main Street and suffered a stab wound to his right foot.

Rongstad said he saw a man being kicked on the ground and said a person kicked the man. He said he did not know how he was stabbed, but there was a lot of blood and he panicked.

Rongstad said he did not see anyone with a knife and did not see any blood on anyone else.

According to the prosecution, Rongstad said he did not hit or kick anyone and did not stay to speak to police because he was bleeding and wanted to have the wound treated.