Crime & Safety

SLP Woman Charged With Punching, Knifing, Concussing Boyfriend on Fourth of July

The incident occurred during a post-barbecue argument about her boyfriend being "disrespectful," according to the criminal complaint.

A St. Louis Park woman stands accused of punching her boyfriend in the head, causing a concussion, and slicing his hand with a kitchen knife during an argument over his behavior at a Fourth of July barbecue.

Venessa Marie Alexander, 41, has been charged with one count of felony assault..

Alexander had been drinking all day at the barbecue with her boyfriend when she suddenly disappeared, according to the criminal complaint.

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Her boyfriend then returned to their home on the 7500 block of Edgebrook Drive to look for her, finding Alexander in the kitchen with the smoke detector triggered on.

Over the screech of the smoke detector, Alexander argued with her boyfriend, saying he was “disrespectful” for talking to a female co-worker at the barbecue.

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She then punched her boyfriend multiple times in the face, he later told police, before picking up a kitchen knife and swinging it at him. A blow from the knife landed on his hand, causing a laceration deep enough to require stitches.

Alexander’s boyfriend then called police. When St. Louis Park officers arrived, he was bleeding from his face. The knife was found to have been recently washed.

Alexander told police that her boyfriend had punched her in the face several times and attempted to strangle her, but the officers noticed no visible injuries or swelling on her face and neck, though she had a “small laceration” between her fingers.

She was arrested at the scene and is currently in custody at Hennepin County Jail.

Alexander pleaded guilty to felony check forgery in 2004 in Ramsey County, for which she received 13 months behind bars.


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