ST. PAUL
A Spring Lake Park man's fight with his girlfriend Thursday escalated to the point where he cut the natural-gas line that runs to her home, authorities say.
Gregory Dean Hanson, 51, is accused of cutting the gas line to the Spring Lake Park home after reportedly being upset that she had left with a female friend for a couple of days, according to Cmdr. Paul Sommer, spokesman for the Anoka County sheriff's office.
The cut created a natural-gas leak in the surrounding area.
"Both police and fire responded immediately," Sommer said. "When you have natural gas spewing out, that's a public safety emergency."
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Shortly after, the Anoka County sheriff's SWAT team was called to the man's Spring Lake Park address after learning he was holed up inside with the couple's 2-year-old son. Hanson allegedly took the boy from his girlfriend's house after their fight, Sommer said.
Eventually, Hanson emerged from the house. He was intoxicated and belligerent toward police, and had to be forcibly arrested, Sommer said. The boy was unharmed.
Hanson is being held at the Anoka County Jail on suspicion of child endangerment and threatening to inflict damage to property. He has not yet been charged.
Hanson's criminal record includes felony-level convictions for fleeing a police officer in 2005 and ineligible possession of a firearm in 2003. It also includes several misdemeanor and gross-misdemeanor convictions, including fifth-degree assault and disorderly conduct.
Hanson's
family could not be reached for comment Friday.
Distributed by MCT Information Services
