Burnsville Man Charged with Assaulting Stepfather, Half-Sister

A Burnsville man with a history of domestic violence convictions has been charged again with domestic assault after police say he threatened his stepfather and half-sister.

Troy Blaine Almhjeld, 34, is charged with two counts of felony domestic assault, each of which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.  

According to the criminal complaint, Burnsville police were called to an apartment in the 1600 block of 143rd Street just after 4:30 a.m. Sept. 2 to investigate a domestic assault complaint.

Officers met with Almhjeld’s stepfather and half-sister, who said Almhjeld had been verbally threatening and aggressive toward them.

Almhjeld’s stepfather said he had been letting his stepson stay at his home temporarily, on the conditions that he not stay out late and that he not bring any women home to stay over. At about 3 a.m., the victim said, Almhjeld arrived home drunk with a woman and wanted her to spend the night.

The victim told Almhjeld that she couldn’t spend the night, and that he needed to leave. Almhjeld then began threatening both his stepfather and half-sister, asking his stepfather, “You want me to take you down?” and calling him “insulting and vulgar names,” according to the complaint.

Almhjeld also lunged at his stepfather and moved his arm as if he were going to punch the victim, the complaint says. The victim told police that Almhjeld had physically attacked him before, and he was afraid he would do so again.

The victim once again told Almhjeld to leave, and he refused. The victim was finally able to push Almhjeld out the door and lock it, then call the police.

Almhjeld’s half-sister told police that she woke up when Almhjeld arrived home and was speaking loudly. She said he “got in her face” and yelled at her, and that she was so afraid he would assault her that she was shaking.

Almhjeld’s extensive criminal history includes convictions in 2000 for fifth-degree assault and interfering with a 911 call; domestic abuse in 2009; domestic assault in 2010; felony domestic assault in 2011, for which he was sentenced to 45 days in jail and five years’ probation; and, last April, fourth-degree assault of a peace officer by throwing bodily fluids or feces, a felony conviction for which he served 43 days in jail and was placed on three years’ probation.

Almhjeld remains in the Dakota County Jail on a $75,000 bond. An omnibus hearing in his latest case is scheduled Oct. 2 in Dakota County District Court in Hastings.