Police Say Burnsville Man Poured Bleach Over Victim's Head

A Burnsville man has been charged with assault after police say he poured a gallon of bleach over a woman’s head last week.

Michael Steven Howell, 21, is charged with making terroristic threats and felony third-degree assault, each of which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. He is also charged with domestic assault, a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, Burnsville police were called to an apartment building in the 13700 block of Wentworth Avenue just before 6:30 p.m. Friday on a domestic assault report.

The victim told police that she and Howell have a child in common and have been living together for the last year. She said they began arguing earlier that afternoon about whether he had sold food stamps that the family needed, the complaint says.

As the argument escalated, Howell threw $5 at the victim, then became more upset and punched a closet in the apartment, according to the complaint. At one point, the complaint says, Howell put his hand inside the victim’s open mouth and held on, threatening to rip off her lower jaw.

The victim said she went into the bathroom, and when she came out, she found Howell in the kitchen, digging through a drawer and claiming to be looking for the phone number of another woman “who would support him and buy clothes for him,” according to the complaint.

The victim told police that she picked up a can of bleach because she wanted to wash dishes. At the same time, she tried to close the drawer through which Howell was rummaging, but Howell pushed her away, backing into her and causing her to accidentally spill some bleach on his jeans, which “upset Howell greatly,” the complaint says.

Howell called the victim several names and threatened her, holding his clenched fist near her face as if he was going to punch her, according to the complaint. The victim told police she was afraid he would hit her because he had done so several times previously.

The victim said the argument moved into the living room, where Howell pushed her over the couch, grabbed the gallon of bleach and poured it over her head, the complaint says. She said the bleach splashed into her ears, eyes and mouth, and that she inadvertently swallowed some of it.

“When the victim yelled at Howell and told him that the bleach had gone into her eyes and ears and indicated that she could go blind or this could result in death, Howell indicated that it is his hope that she goes blind or dies,” the complaint says.

The victim told police that she tried to get dressed and leave the apartment, but Howell ripped her clothes off of her. She said she was able to put on her pants and pick up her 5-month-old child, but Howell grabbed the child away from her.

The victim tried to take the baby back, but Howell pushed her, knocking her over the couch and into the wall, where she struck her head, the complaint says. Police photographed a dent in the wall where she hit her head.

The victim was treated for injuries suffered in the bleach incident and for other injuries.

Howell, who has two previous convictions in Minnesota for domestic assault, remains in the Dakota County Jail on a $75,000 bond. An omnibus hearing in his case is scheduled for Aug. 15 in Dakota County District Court in Hastings.