Charges: Pipe-wielding man damages car in road rage-fueled incident

A Mankato man is accused of damaging another motorist’s car during a road rage-fueled incident in Mankato last month.

Richard Cantu Jr, 28, was charged last week with felony counts of threats of violence and 1st-degree property damage in Blue Earth County Court.

A criminal complaint says Cantu began following a driver who cut him off on Victory Dr on March 14.  The victim told police he was forced to pull over when Cantu passed him and rapidly decelerated on Highway 22.

Cantu allegedly approached the victim wielding a metal pipe and began striking the victim’s vehicle, causing damage to several windows and body panels.  The victim provided photos of the damage to police.

The complaint says Cantu said “he did not give a s**t” that the vehicle was criminally damaged because he was from Texas.  Cantu threatened to kill the victim as he drove away, according to the complaint.

Cantu told police the victim had run him off the road near Happy Dan’s, so he gestured for the man to pull over.  Police say he initially denied striking the victim’s vehicle, but eventually admitted he had done so in the heat of the moment.

Police say estimates indicate it will cost $4,326.35 to repair the victim’s vehicle.