After an incident in Hutchinson, Minnesota, a man was sentenced to a year in prison for attacking a store worker and a police officer after being asked to wear a mask per a private business' store policy.
In April, Luke Oeltjenbruns was asked by a Menards home improvement store employee to wear a face mask while being checked out. Instead, Oeltjenbruns hit the employee six or seven times with a furring strip that was in his cart.
Officers arrived at the Menards and an officer spotted the suspect's truck at a nearby Walmart. Oeltjenbruns did not stop when the officer's sirens went off, which prompted a slow speed chase.
At an intersection, the chase came to a halt. Officers drew their weapons and approached the vehicle.
When officers came closer to his truck, Oeltjenbruns was heard saying he “did not care” and “to shoot him.” He refused to get out of his vehicle.
Officer Steven Sickmann reached into the truck through the window. Oeltjenbruns closed the window on his arm and began driving into a nearby squad car.
Oeltjenbruns hit Sickmann in the head with a hammer causing the officer to need eight staples in his head.
Footage of the incident was caught on camera.
Oeltjenbruns plead guilty to first and second-degree assault. He was sentenced to one year in prison and up to ten years of probation.
In court, the prosecution said:
“Every officer at that scene would have been justified in shooting this defendant causing his death."
"But they didn’t do so because Sickmann was in the way."
"This defendant is lucky to be here today."
Oeltjenbruns' wife Robbie Lynn Oeltjenbruns spoke on his behalf:
"On the day of the incident to say I was dumbfounded by the reports would be a total understatement."
Robbie Lynn also claimed Oeltjenbruns suffers from PTSD, anxiety and depression due to his time in the military.
"I know for a fact that Luke wants help and our family really wants him to get help."
Wait....accountability and consequences??? Am I dreaming? This is quite the anomaly these days! And I'm here for it! (Though his punishment is really just a slap on the wrist)— Jo Pfetsch (@Jo Pfetsch) 1640618612
1 year? That\u2019s all? There are minors behind bars for stealing food or candy. Our system is forked— Katie K! \ud83d\udc99 (@Katie K! \ud83d\udc99) 1640618719
Hmmmmmm. Responded to a police officer by attack with a hammer; in prison for one year. Any guess the bad guy was white?— Nancy Perry (@Nancy Perry) 1640619233
He wasn't shot for attacking cop with hammer Sounds about white.— Violet Renee Author (@Violet Renee Author) 1640619136
LAME EXCUSE OF THE MONTH Lots of folks have PTSD but they don\u2019t hit folks like n the head with lumber or police officers in the head with hammers.https://www.huffpost.com/entry/minnesota-man-year-sentence-over-mask-requirement-attack_n_61c93e94e4b061afe39f2382\u00a0\u2026— GRITS1951 (@GRITS1951) 1640622206
Not sure that argument carried a lot of weight unless he was in intense treatment. That\u2019s an extreme reaction.https://www.huffpost.com/entry/minnesota-man-year-sentence-over-mask-requirement-attack_n_61c93e94e4b061afe39f2382\u00a0\u2026— Nancy B Parent (@Nancy B Parent) 1640631258
A shameful abuse of prior service history. Even if he does have PTSD, it is not to be thrown around as a shield against criminal behavior.— Dan (@Dan) 1640580920
Luke Oeltjenbruns not only assault a store employee because he didn\u2019t like their mask policy, but he also resisted arrest and assaulted a police officer. Not only was he arrested but recently was sentenced to one year in prison\u2026\u2026.anybody want to guess what race he is?— Gerald (@Gerald) 1640617235
I may going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing the criminal, Luke Oeltjenbruns, is white, because Black men who hit cops in the head with a hammer usually don't get sentenced; they get buried. And a one-year sentence for assaulting a cop with a hammer? Who is this judge?https://twitter.com/marknyt/status/1475501697057312768\u00a0\u2026— Peter Fotopoulos Bane of Morons/Colonel of Truth (@Peter Fotopoulos Bane of Morons/Colonel of Truth) 1640624728
Judge Jody Winters said his lack of criminal record played into her lenient sentencing.
“You endangered the lives of the victims, Officer Sickmann, Mr. Anthony Wagner, and potentially your own life."
Oeltjenbruns has also been ordered to pay restitution, do community service and write apology letters to the victims.
If not completed, he could spend more time in prison.
