Charges stem from March 13 and July 29 events

A Vergas man is facing six charges from two separate court cases in Otter Tail County District Court, including three felonies.

The allegations against Tyler Douglas Riewer, 33, of rural Vergas, stem from a March 13 incident and another on July 29 involving a total of two felonies, two gross misdemeanors and two misdemeanors.

According to court documents, a deputy from the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call on March 13 at approximately 9 p.m., involving Riewer and a woman.

Allegedly, Riewer became upset and began shoving the woman and throwing deceased pet guinea pigs at her. Riewer claimed a dog killed the pigs, however the woman refuted  that claim telling the deputy Riewer had texted about the dead guinea pigs with the following text, “Just like the one I shot!” and “Poor guinea pigs” with an accompanying crying emoji.

Court documents revealed that Riewer sent other texts including the statement, “If the cops show up I’ll blast your ass before I unlock the door,” along with nude photographs of the woman, threatening to post them online and share with others.

Riewer continued to threaten the woman, according to the report, saying he would go “full savage” if police were called..

Charges include felony Stalking – second or subsequent violation in 10 years and gross misdemeanor domestic assault – subsequent violation.

Riewer has also been charged with felony first-degree burglary, gross misdemeanor domestic assault, misdemeanor disorderly conduct and misdemeanor fourth-degree damage to property from the July incident.

A deputy responded to a domestic dispute call on July 29 at approximately 8 p.m. The deputy spoke with a woman who reported that Riewer had shown up at the residence. Allegedly, Riewer ripped a screen door off the hinges in an attempt to gain entry.

The woman phoned a relative of Riewer to come to the residence.

Riewer entered the residence screaming at the woman, according to court documents. The woman told Riewer to leave. The Riewer relative arrived and Riewere went outside, removed his shirt and hit and kicked the man.

The woman left the residence while the relative tried to calm Riewer, who got into his own vehicle and chased down the woman causing her to be afraid of being forced off the road, according to the complaint.

At the residence, deputies  “observed a screen door with a bent metal frame laying on the deck that had been ripped off of the hinges and observed the tire tracks in the yard,” according to the report.

Deputies made contact with Riewer later at his residence in rural Vergas. 

According to court documents, he stated that he went to the woman’s residence and entered through a door that had a key in it, and he did not pull the screen door off the hinges. Riewer said he didn’t ask permission to enter, denied screaming at the woman, telling deputies that he had “only stated facts,” according to the complaint.

According to the Otter Tail County Jail in-custody, bond was set at $50,000 without conditions and $25,000 with conditions of release for the July 29 charges, and $20,000 without conditions or $10,000 with conditions for the March 13 charges. Riewer was still in the Otter Tail County Jail as of Friday, Aug. 21, and is scheduled for a Sept. 8 court appearance.