Winona Man Pleads Guilty in Rochester Knife Threat Case
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Winona man has admitted to a felony terroristic threats charge for allegedly threatening a man with a knife in downtown Rochester last fall.
20-year-old Zadian William Proszek entered a guilty plea to the charge in Olmsted County court through a plea agreement that resulted in the dismissal of a second-degree assault charge and a gross misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge. He is scheduled to be sentenced in October.
Knife threat reported in downtown Rochester
The criminal complaint in the case says Rochester police responded to a report of an assault around 7:20 p.m. in the 400 block of 3rd Avenue Southeast. The responding officer spoke with a man who stated that he was walking through a parking lot when Proszek confronted him.
What the victim told police
The victim indicated that Proszek was upset with him for calling police the previous day to report a person in crisis. The criminal complaint says the victim told police that Proszek pulled out a knife, flipped it open and walked toward him while saying he was going to stab him and that he would be better off dead.
Witness describes alleged threats
The court document says police also spoke to a witness who stated that Proszek was holding a knife and made threatening statements such as, “You're dead,” and, “I'm going to kill you.” The witness told police that he and the victim backed away from Proszek as he approached before Proszek eventually turned and walked away.
According to the criminal complaint, police found Proszek nearby and took him into custody. The court document says Proszek admitted confronting the victim and asking him to fight but denied having a knife. It also notes that police did not find a knife in his possession or during a search of the scene.
Surveillance video captures confrontation
Investigating officers reported reviewing surveillance video from a nearby business that captured the incident. The criminal complaint says the video shows Proszek taking something from his pocket and holding the object while advancing toward the victim and the witness, but the video is not clear enough to determine whether the object was a knife.
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