A 39-year-old Minnesota man is facing a gross misdemeanor charge after police say he tried to turn his lawn into a no-bike zone with a homemade strip carrying dozens of upward-pointing screws. The device was found beside a home near Goodview Park in Wyoming, where children reportedly used the property as a shortcut into the park. The case is now headed to court.
According to CBS Minnesota, police received a complaint on April 28 about spikes in a yard near the park. The caller also reported that a man at the nearby home had repeatedly yelled at children to stay off his lawn.
Officers reportedly found a 3-foot-long piece of clear plastic about 5 inches wide, with approximately 40 three-inch screws driven through it. The plastic was anchored to the ground with metal stakes so the screws remained pointed upward, as detailed by WKRC Local 12.
Investigators also saw bicycle tracks running beneath and around the homemade device, suggesting children regularly rode from Goodview Avenue through the yard to reach the park. The homeowner allegedly told police he had yelled at the children “hundreds of times,” claimed they crossed the property “out of spite,” and acknowledged placing the device there to keep them away, according to CBS Minnesota.
The man allegedly said he did not intend to hurt anyone and only wanted to scare the children. Police reportedly concluded the device had not stopped people from crossing the yard, and the complaint said the homeowner appeared frustrated that his improvised deterrent was not working.
Why The Lawn Trap Became A Criminal Case
Minnesota law prohibits setting a “spring gun, pitfall, deadfall, snare, or other like dangerous weapon or device.” The Minnesota Revisor of Statutes says a violation can carry up to six months in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.
The filed case identifies the alleged offense as a gross misdemeanor, and the man is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the charge in court. His first appearance is scheduled for Aug. 25, WKRC Local 12 reported.
