Man charged after allegedly pulling knife during argument over “cookies” in parking lot

ST. ANTHONY — An 18-year-old Fremont County man has been charged after allegedly threatening another man with a knife during an argument over spinning cookies in a parking lot.

Tate Thompson was charged with aggravated assault last week.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call on March 22 regarding two men who were spinning cookies in a parking lot with a red Ford Ranger and a yellow ATV. The reporting party said the man on the ATV pulled a knife on him when he confronted him in the parking lot near his home.

The man said he was upset because he thought his truck might get damaged from rocks being thrown from the tires of their vehicle, documents said. He asked them to leave, which they did, but they returned later on a yellow ATV and continued spinning cookies.

The man told deputies he approached them again and began arguing. He began to walk away when he heard one of the men say, “That’s right, punk, walk away,” according to documents.

He told law enforcement that he turned around and saw the man holding an open knife in his hand. He left and called 911.

Through the investigation, deputies identified the suspect as Thompson and went to his house.

Thompson told deputies that he had driven through the parking lot in his Ford Ranger with his friend. While in the parking lot, Thompson said he accidentally spun the tires on his truck.

Thompson said he was approached by a man who was upset at them. Thompson said he then left the area in his truck because the man appeared to be very angry, documents said.

He then returned to the parking lot in his ATV with his friend. He said he went to talk to a man working at a taco stand and observed the same man that was mad earlier walking toward him.

Thompson explained the man “got in his face” and starting yelling at him for being in the parking lot again. Thompson said he repeatedly asked the man to leave him alone. He said he saw the man with one hand in his pocket and his other hand was clenched in a fist. This made Thompson think that he was going to fight with him.

Thompson said he walked away and he and his friend left the area.

The deputy asked Thompson if he had a knife with him. Thompson said he usually carries a folding knife with him in his pocket but he did not have it with him at the time of the argument.

Thompson suddenly appeared very nervous, a deputy wrote in court documents and his face began to twitch while he avoided direct eye contact.

The deputy asked Thompson to repeat his recollection of the incident. Thompson did and then said he was worried he was going to have to defend himself during the argument with the man.

The deputy asked Thompson how he would defend himself. Thompson said it would be with his knife and he gestured holding a knife in his left hand near his left pocket. The deputy asked Thompson again about what he did with the knife during the altercation. Thompson denied having his knife again.

“I told Thompson he had just admitted he intended to use his knife against (the victim) and I knew he was lying about the events,” the deputy wrote.

Thompson then admitted he did in fact have his knife with him and did pull the knife out during the final altercation, court documents said. Thompson said he did not open the blade of the knife but just held it in his hand. He said he did not say anything to the man while he held the closed knife in his hand.

At this point, deputies placed Thompson under arrest. He said, “I plead the fifth,” indicating he did not wish to speak any further but asked to talk to his mother, who was in the house. He began to tell her the events of what happened in front of the deputies.

His mother told him he should not have pulled a knife on someone and he said, “Well I did,” documents stated.

Deputies then interviewed Thompson’s friend who was with him at the time. His friend recounted the incident.

The deputy asked the friend about Thompson’s knife. He stated, “Oh yea, he pulled it out,” documents said.

The friend said he had a large buck knife on him which he normally carries with him. He said at no time during the course of the events did he feel the need to remove his knife for any reason.

The owner of the parking lot trespassed Thompson and his friend, according to documents.

Thompson had an initial court appearance last week. He was issued a no-contact order toward the victim.

The felony charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.

Thompson is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on April 5 at 1 p.m. at the Fremont County courthouse.

Though Thompson has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.