Clay County (trfnews.i234.me) — Van Thomas Steinke, age 40, is facing a disturbing list of domestic violence-related charges after being arrested by the Barnesville Police Department on the evening of March 27, 2025.
Steinke has been charged with:
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Third-degree Assault – Inflicting Substantial Bodily Harm
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Domestic Assault by Strangulation
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Domestic Assault – Causing Fear of Bodily Harm
These charges stem from a violent incident in which Steinke allegedly choked and physically assaulted an individual with whom he had a domestic relationship. The level of force and nature of injuries resulted in serious bodily harm, elevating the charge to third-degree assault — a felony under Minnesota law.
As of now, Steinke is in custody at the Clay County Jail, awaiting court proceedings.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News
Did you know?
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Strangulation is one of the strongest predictors of future homicide in domestic abuse cases.
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Minnesota law classifies domestic strangulation as a felony, punishable by up to 3 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.