A 63-year-old man is facing a felony kidnapping charge after he allegedly tried to force his ex into a truck in the parking lot of a Golden Valley neurology clinic, pepper spraying her daughter in the process before bystanders rushed out to help fend him off. Todd Alan Smith is now being held at the Hennepin County Jail as prosecutors pursue the case.
According to court records cited by KSTP, police were called to the Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology in Golden Valley after a woman left the building with her aunt and her mother, who reportedly suffers from dementia. As the three women walked through the parking lot, a dark-colored truck pulled up nearby, and Smith and another man got out.
Smith is accused of grabbing his ex and attempting to drag her toward the vehicle, according to the station's report. When the woman's daughter intervened, Smith allegedly pepper sprayed her. The daughter and her aunt then fought off the two men, per the same account, and people inside the hospital ran outside to help once they saw the struggle unfolding. Smith and the second man ultimately left the scene in the truck before Smith was arrested.
Family Alleges a History of Abuse
The woman's siblings claimed that Smith had been abusive and exploitative toward their mother, according to the woman's account relayed in the article. The identity of the second man who fled the parking lot with Smith has not been disclosed, and it remains unclear whether he faces any charges of his own.
The Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology, where the alleged attack took place, has operated its headquarters at 4225 Golden Valley Road since it was founded in 1955, according to Minnesota.gov. The clinic specializes in outpatient dementia evaluation, geriatric neurology, and neuropsychology, and in 2025 it joined the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services GUIDE Program, which the Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology says was designed to expand 24/7 care navigation and respite support for dementia patients and their family caregivers.
Charges and Potential Penalties
Smith is facing one count of felony Attempted Kidnapping under a charge of confining or removing a person without consent. Under Minnesota Statute § 609.25, a completed kidnapping is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $35,000 fine if the victim is released safely without great bodily harm, or up to 40 years and a $50,000 fine if she is not safely released or suffers severe harm, according to the Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes.
Because Smith is charged with an attempt rather than a completed offense, Minnesota's general attempt statute caps his potential sentence at no more than half of the maximum penalty for the completed crime, per the Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Separately, state law limits civilian pepper spray use to reasonable self-defense, and offensive use during an assault can constitute its own criminal offense under Minnesota Statute § 624.731. Minnesota Statute § 609.11 also allows for sentencing enhancements when a defendant uses a dangerous weapon or aerosol incapacitant during a felony, a provision that can apply to chemical spray used aggressively.
Legal analysts note that non-ransom kidnapping charges like this one often stem from domestic disputes or allegations of physical and financial exploitation involving vulnerable family members, according to Keyser Law Criminal Defense. It remains unclear whether the Hennepin County Attorney's Office will file additional charges tied to the alleged pepper spray attack or against the unidentified second man.
Investigation Led by Golden Valley Police
The case is being handled by the Golden Valley Police Department, headquartered at 7700 Golden Valley Road, under Police Chief Matt Clark, who was appointed to the permanent role in April 2026 after serving as interim chief, according to the City of Golden Valley. Smith remains booked at the Hennepin County Jail in downtown Minneapolis, which is operated by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office under Sheriff Dawanna Witt.
The exact schedule for Smith's initial court appearance and bail hearing has not been made public. Investigators have not disclosed whether the second man seen fleeing with Smith has been identified or located.
