According to the court documents, the 61-year-old man was sentenced to 1 year in prison for reportedly attacking a store employee who had asked him to wear a face mask. The defendant then attacked the responding officer with a hammer, court records say. He was sentenced on Wednesday. Prosecutors said the defendant reportedly beat the store worker in the head with a piece of lumber after the worker refused to check him out without a mask as part of store policy amid the ongoing pandemic.
The 61-year-old man from Minnesota, Luke Oeltjenbruns, pleaded guilty to first and second-degree assault charges over the April incident.
The defendant was also sentenced to 10 years of probation and was ordered to perform community service, attend therapy and write apology letters to his victims, according to reports.
Prosecutors said the 61-year-old defendant reportedly beat the home improvement store worker in the head several times with a piece of lumber after the worker refused to check him out without a mask as part of store policy amid the ongoing pandemic.
Oeltjenbruns then reportedly fled in his pickup truck, prompting a car chase, according to reports.
When the defendant finally stopped, the responding officers reached through the window of the truck.
The 61-year-old defendant then closed the window on his arm, trapping him, and hit the cop in the head with a hammer.
The responding officer Sickman suffered serious injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
The defendant’s wife, Robbie Oeltjenbruns, told prosecutors that her husband suffers from depression, anxiety and PTSD from his time in the military.