Crime & Safety

Eagan Man Threw Burning Cigarette Into Vehicle: Charges

An Eagan man faces a felony count of threatening violence and a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge​ after an alleged road rage incident.

EAGAN, MN — A 43-year-old man from Eagan is facing one felony count of threatening violence and a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge after an alleged road rage incident. Mark Patrick Lenze is accused of throwing a lit cigarette into a car and aiming a gun at another driver earlier this month.

The criminal complaint states that a motorist and Lenze were driving on a two-lane road in Eagan June 21 when the two lanes merged to become one. According to authorities, the driver let one car merge but did let Lenze merge, WCCO reported:

The complaint says Lenze pulled up beside the driver at a later point and threw a lit cigarette into the vehicle. Lenze then pulled ahead of the driver as he bent over to pick it up.
The driver followed Lenze until he pulled off and parked on a side street. He approached Lenze’s car with the cigarette and asked if he wanted it back.

Read much more at WCCO.

Find out what's happening in Eaganfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

(For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Minnesota Patch, click here to find your local Minnesota Patch. Also, follow us on Facebook, and if you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Find out what's happening in Eaganfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Image via Shutterstock

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.