No charges yet for man caught on camera vandalizing Teslas in Minneapolis
A man caught on camera causing thousands of dollars in damages to at least six Tesla vehicles in Minneapolis will not face charges — at least for now.
The Hennepin County Attorney's Office said the man, who works for the Minnesota Department of Human Services, still needs to pay up for his actions.
The Minneapolis Police Department and the Hennepin County Attorney's Office have been at odds on many issues and this is another one to add to the list, with the police chief saying he is frustrated.
Last week, Minneapolis police arrested a man caught on surveillance video in downtown Minneapolis vandalizing at least six Teslas, causing about $20,000 in damage.
Police Chief Brian O'Hara said the damage caused in each case was equivalent to a felony. He said at the time of the arrest this case was a no-brainer.
"Frankly, this is pretty stupid. There's high-quality video in all of these cars. It's committing a crime with a spotlight on you," O'Hara said.
A spokesperson for the Hennepin County Attorney's Office says it is seeking diversion instead of criminal charges.
"This is an approach taken in many property crime cases and helps to ensure the individual keeps their job and can pay restitution, as well as reducing the likelihood of repeat offenses," the attorney's office said in a statement.
O'Hara responded with his own statement.
"Our investigators are always frustrated when the cases they poured their hearts into are declined," he said. "In my experience, the victims in these cases often feel the same."
David McCormick, a defense attorney not associated with the case, says this feels like a reasonable outcome to him.
"It is a win-win if he does what he's supposed to do," McCormick said. "Probation would be the same thing, but [it would] stick him with the stigma of having this criminal conviction. That's the whole point of diversion, to make you not be a problem in the future."
The county says offering diversion isn't unusual for property damage cases with no criminal history.
Records show since the start of 2023, hundreds of property damage cases have been diverted without charges, about one in five.
It's not clear how many of those were felony-level.
If the man doesn't comply with the diversion program, including not paying restitution, he'll be criminally charged.
