Redwood County jury finds Wood Lake man guilty of vehicle vandalism

A Wood Lake man, Richard Thomas Knutson, 69, was found guilty in Redwood County District Court of one count of felony Criminal Damage to Property in the First Degree, County  Attorney Jenna Peterson announced Tuesday.

According to the criminal complaint, testimony and evidence presented at trial, the Lower Sioux Tribal Police Department was called to Jackpot Junction Casino on February 15, 2020, at  about 7:30 a.m.on a report of a vandalized vehicle.

Officers observed the victim’s vehicle had deep scratches along both sides of the body of the vehicle, consistent with damage from a key, . Officers reviewed Jackpot Junction Casino security  footage and observed that on the evening of Feb. 14, Knutson left his hotel room, walked to the parking lot and all the way around the victim’s vehicle in a manner consistent with the damage from the key. Knutson then returned  to his hotel room.

Tom Borgen, Assistant Redwood County Attorney, who prosecuted the case, told the jury  in his closing argument, “no one else was seen on camera spending the amount of time near  Victim’s vehicle that Defendant did prior to the damage being reported.” 

Knutson will be sentenced May 23rd at the Redwood County Courthouse.