Alexander Stephen Roper Gerasch

A Sleepy Eye man is accused of kidnapping and assaulting his grandmother. Alexander Stephen Roper Gerasch, 22, was charged last week in Redwood County Court with felony counts of kidnapping, 1st-degree burglary, domestic assault, and false imprisonment.

A criminal complaint says Gerasch dragged his grandmother out of bed at her Redwood Falls home in January and demanded  she drive him to Sleepy Eye. The complaint says when his grandmother sat down in the garage to have a cigarette, Roper-Gerasch dragged her into the house and told her to get dressed so they could leave.  Roper-Gerasch then allegedly pushed the woman to the floor and put her in a chokehold as he covered her mouth with his hand.  His grandmother told police she couldn’t breathe.

Court documents say Roper-Gerasch pushed his grandmother to the floor twice more before dragging her to the garage and forcing her into her vehicle.  As she drove him to Sleepy Eye, he punched her in the mouth, slammed her head against the window, and pulled her hair, says the complaint. Roper-Gerasch is also accused of stealing his grandmother’s phone during the assault because she had threatened to call 911.

Investigators say Roper-Gerasch does not live at the home with his grandmother, but was able to access the home because he had loaned her car and had access to the garage door opener.

A witness came to the victim’s home the day after the assault because he had been unable to contact her the previous day.  The man noticed bruises around the victim’s eye and saw damage to her vehicle. Police say they took photographs of bruising on the victim’s neck and face.

A warrant was requested, but Roper-Gerasch is now in custody in Redwood County.  He is facing additional misdemeanor charges of interference with emergency calls and domestic assault.