St. Cloud Man Charged in Racially-Motivated Attack

ST. CLOUD -- A St. Cloud man is being held on $100,000 bail after allegedly confronting another man with a hatchet Monday night because he was black. Fifty-one-year-old Daniel Volkers is charged with assault motivated by racial bias.

Volkers is accused of confronting a black man who was sitting in his car in a parking lot in the 1500 block of 16th Avenue Southeast.

Court records show Volkers walked up to the man and began yelling at him. The 45-year-old victim told police he opened his car door and asked Volkers what he wanted. Volkers is accused of threatening the man and swinging the hatchet at the victim twice.

The victim was able to close and lock his car door without being hit. Volkers then tried to open the car door several times before walking back to his apartment.

Police were called and tried to make contact with Volkers but he wouldn’t respond to attempts to talk with him. The SWAT team used a search warrant to enter the apartment unit. Volkers was found hiding in the pantry and a hatchet was recovered inside the residence.

When police interviewed Volkers, he allegedly used a derogatory term toward black people as many as 30 times in the 10 minute interview and also told investigators, "wait 'til I get home."

Volkers is charged in Sherburne County District Court with second degree assault and fourth degree assault motivated by bias, terroristic threats and fifth degree assault. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 22nd.