A 39-year-old Saint Paul man is facing a second-degree assault charge with a dangerous weapon after witnesses recorded him allegedly punching, strangling and driving a Jeep Compass toward a woman during a domestic dispute on Phalen Drive. Taroji Thao was charged in Ramsey County District Court after two women who witnessed the attack handed over cellphone video to police, according to the criminal complaint.
Officers responded to a report of an in-progress domestic assault inside a vehicle at about 7:19 p.m. on August 27 in the 1500 block of Phalen Drive in Saint Paul, as reported by MN Crime. Two female witnesses told police they saw a white Jeep Compass pull up near them before the confrontation escalated. Video obtained by police reportedly showed the Jeep driving toward the victim and running over her purse in the process.
According to the complaint, Thao had punched the victim in the mouth earlier at the couple's home before the pair returned to their residence on Atlantic Street to pack belongings — the property was reportedly being condemned at the time of the incident. The victim told officers Thao had become intoxicated at work earlier that day. Once in the vehicle, the complaint alleges Thao drove the Jeep around the area while arguing with the victim, grabbed her dress and ripped it off, forced her arms behind her back, and eventually kicked her out of the vehicle.
Witnesses Say They Stepped In
The complaint alleges that once the victim was out of the car, a male driver assaulted her by punching and strangling her, chased her, and smashed her head on the pavement after grabbing her hair. A second witness told police she pushed the male off the victim during the struggle. The victim also reportedly threw a bottle at the Jeep Compass before the male driver fled in the vehicle.
Police say the two women who witnessed the assault filmed it on their phones and turned the footage over to investigators. The complaint states the victim was left with a cut on her lower lip, shoulder redness, an elbow scrape, and an apparent bite mark on her leg. Thao has denied knowing the victim and denied being at the scene, according to the complaint.
What the Charge Carries
Thao faces a second-degree assault charge with a dangerous weapon, a felony that under Minnesota Statute § 609.222 carries up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to $14,000, rising to ten years if a court finds substantial bodily harm occurred. Minnesota classifies assault into varying degrees under sections 609.221, 609.222, 609.223, 609.2231 and 609.224, with lower degrees ranging from misdemeanor exposure up to felony penalties depending on weapon use and the extent of harm, while first-degree assault can carry up to 20 years in prison when great bodily harm is alleged.
The dangerous-weapon element of the charge stems from the allegation that Thao drove the Jeep at the victim in an attempt to strike her. Under Minnesota criminal law, motor vehicles can qualify as dangerous weapons when operated in a manner calculated or likely to cause death or severe physical harm, according to Lushanko Law Firm. That legal standard is what elevates an alleged act of driving toward someone from a lesser offense to a felony assault charge.
Condemned Home Added to the Chaos
The Atlantic Street residence where the couple had gone to gather belongings was reportedly being condemned at the time of the confrontation. In Saint Paul, the Department of Safety and Inspections can condemn a residential property on an emergency basis when basic utilities like water, electricity, or heat are shut off, forcing occupants to vacate immediately, according to the City of Saint Paul. That housing disruption appears to have been unfolding in the same window as the alleged assault, adding another layer of instability to an already volatile situation.
A single-day survey of Minnesota domestic violence programs documented unmet requests for help. A single-day survey conducted in September 2024 found that 47 participating Minnesota domestic violence programs served 1,561 victims but were forced to turn away 196 requests for help, primarily due to shortages in emergency housing and shelter, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. Victims of domestic abuse in Ramsey County can access crisis intervention, legal advocacy, and emergency filing support through the Saint Paul & Ramsey County Domestic Abuse Intervention Project and Bridges to Safety.
Minnesota law bars arresting officers from issuing citations in lieu of arrest for domestic assault but allows station or jail officers to issue citations. Thao was arrested on August 30, 2026, and was charged in Ramsey County District Court on September 1. It remains unclear whether prosecutors will pursue additional domestic assault by strangulation charges or whether a Domestic Abuse No Contact Order has been issued, and the status of any bail set in the case has not been reported.
The case underscores the risks associated with domestic violence in the Saint Paul area. The September 2024 survey cited above found that participating Minnesota domestic violence programs served 1,561 victims but turned away 196 requests for help. Another summary reports that approximately one in three women and one in four men experience intimate-partner violence.
