Anger at an ex-girlfriend caused a Minneapolis man to go into a rage and purposely run over and kill a 37-year-old man outside the woman's home on Portland Avenue, according to charges.
Tristen Elijah Baier, 20, has been charged in Hennepin County District Court so far with second-degree murder and first-degree assault in the death of Roberto B. Cortez, who lived at the same multi-unit address as the former girlfriend. Upgradedcharges of murder appear imminent.
Baier has remained jailed since the confrontation late Saturday, when witnesses pounced on Baier as he got out of his van and restrained him until police arrived.
"This was totally intentional," police spokesman Corey Schmidt said.
According to the complaint:
A resident of the former girlfriend's home in the 2900 block of Portland Avenue S. said he saw Baier smashing the woman's car window with a baseball bat. Baier got in his van and drove at the resident and missed, hit another vehicle and fled.
Baier returned a few minutes later and drove at a group of people looking at the smashed car window. Baier hit Cortez and two vehicles.
Cortez suffered bleeding in the brain from several skull fractures.
He died Monday afternoon at Hennepin County Medical Center.
Baier told police his outburst was because "he was angry at his ex-girlfriend," the complaint read.
At one point during the incident, according to Baier, a man chased him with a knife, prompting Baier to threaten the man with the bat.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
