MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Little Falls tree trimmer is being charged with allegedly chasing a man with a chainsaw while working in Lakeville, Minn. earlier this month.
Jason Warren Schultz, 34, faces one count of second-degree assault.
On June 4, police responded to a call about two men fighting around 5 p.m. in the 16700 block of Jalisco Terrace.
Upon arrival, police found two men arguing and were able to separate them without incident.
According to the criminal complaint, Schultz and the man had been working in the Lakeville neighborhood trimming trees. Schultz had been up in a tree cutting branches and was throwing them in the area the other man was working.
The man asked Schultz to stop throwing the branches and Schultz became enraged.
He came down from the tree and began yelling at the man, using vulgar language and the N-word.
Police said the man then saw Schultz grab a chainsaw, start it up and run across the street towards him yelling, “I’m going to kill you! F***king come on, let’s go!”
The man told police he picked up a shovel to use as self-defense, but ended up not needing it as Schultz never got close enough.
Schultz went back across the street while continuing to argue with the man, but came after him again without the chainsaw.
Three neighbors told police they also saw Schultz chase the other man with the chainsaw.
When questioned, Schultz told police he was “hot and upset” because the other man was yelling at him. He admitted to chasing him with the chainsaw, but said the other man “started it.”
If found guilty, Schultz faces up to seven years in prison, $14,000 fine or both.
