Skov pleads guilty to domestic assault
The head of the Owatonna Public Works Department who was charged with domestic assault has entered a plea in the case.
Kyle Aaron Skov, 49, pleaded guilty last week in Steele County District Court to one misdemeanor count of domestic assault. In exchange for the plea, a second misdemeanor and one felony count of domestic assault by strangulation were dismissed.
As part of the settlement, Skov will receive a stay of adjudication on the misdemeanor conviction.
Sentencing has been set for Feb. 22, when Skov is expected to be placed on probation for a year, undergo a mental health evaluation and participate in therapy with the victim, court documents say, if the victim requests it, among other conditions.
With a stay of adjudication, if Skov complies with the terms of probation, the case will be dismissed and there will be no record of a conviction.
He remains free on his own recognizance.
Skov has been the city engineer and senior director of the Owatonna Public Works Department, overseeing about 30 employees, since 2012. He was placed on leave after the incident.
Due to data privacy laws, no other information could be shared about Skov’s leave or future with the city.
The investigation began Sept. 16 with two phone calls about an altercation at a home in southeast Owatonna. Skov was the initial caller; as an officer was speaking with him at the house, the alleged victim also called dispatch to make a report.
When the officer spoke with the second caller, he noted dried blood on the male’s nose, shirt, right arm and hand, and what appeared to be light bruising on both sides of his neck.
There didn’t seem to be any cuts, scratches or scrapes on Skov.
The other male told authorities that as Skov confronted him about some issues, he kept telling Skov “OK,” because he didn’t want to get into an argument with him. When he walked into the garage, Skov walked up to the male and “chest bumped/pushed him,” the report says, and was “in his face.”
According to the criminal complaint, when the victim pushed Skov away, Skov punched him in the face and put him in a headlock. The two struggled for about 30 seconds, but the male was eventually able to break free.
The victim left the house, and called law enforcement from another location.
He said his neck was sore – but said it wasn’t the first time Skov had choked him, the complaint says, detailing an incident in April that the victim hadn’t reported.
In Skov’s absence, City Administrator Kris Busse said in September, “we are confident the Public Works Department will continue to operate safely, effectively and efficiently.”