Burnsville House Candidate Charged for Domestic Assault by Strangulation​

A Republican candidate for state House from Burnsville has been charged with domestic assault by strangulation and domestic assault after allegedly pushing his wife to the floor and choking her son. Domestic assault by strangulation is a felony offense carrying a maximum of three years in jail and/or a maximum $5,000 fine.

Republican District 51A candidate Bradly Gerten, of Burnsville, was arrested at 11:52 p.m. Saturday. The fight began over pizza, according to the criminal complaint.

Burnsville police were called to Fairview Ridges Hospital in Burnsville at 8:30 p.m. for a domestic assault. Gerten was arrested later that night.

According to the criminal complaint, the dispute allegedly began after Gerten asked his wife's son if there was any pizza left.

The son said he told him that there wasn’t any pizza left. Gerten then went into the kitchen and grabbed her son. Gerten's wife said “don’t put your hands on my son” before Gerten pushed her to the ground.

Gerten's wife said he began fighting with her son and eventually strangled him for several seconds. The son says he was strangled for about 10 seconds.

The Associated Press reported that Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt said in a statement Monday that “Domestic violence is unacceptable to our party and our caucus.”

Image via Dakota County Jail