Shotgun threats made against Austin woman

Published 7:18 am Thursday, June 24, 2010

A 25-year-old Austin man faces multiple criminal charges for allegedly entering a woman’s home and threatening her with a shotgun.

Joshua Steven Solberg was charged Tuesday in Mower County court with two counts of felony first-degree burglary for allegedly entering the residence uninvited. He also faces a count of felony second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, among other charges.

Solberg is in custody and scheduled for arraignment on July 1.

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According to a criminal complaint, the incident occurred early Saturday. At around 4 a.m., Austin police responded to a 911 call from the 24-year-old alleged victim, who had fled the residence and went to a neighbor’s house.

She said Solberg had left the area with his shotgun in a truck.

The woman said she had awoken at about 3 a.m. to find Solberg standing over her, with a shotgun muzzle pointed at her chin, the complaint states. She told authorities that she remembered locking the house’s doors, so Solberg apparently broke in.

With the gun pointed at the woman, Solberg said kids the two had had together were better off in foster care, the complaint states. He also allegedly ejected and replaced several shells from the gun, likely to prove that is was loaded, and threatened to kill the woman and himself.

The woman tried to flee, but Solberg choked her and covered her head with pillows to keep her from screaming, the complaint states. The alleged victim made several more attempts to leave the room, but Solberg allegedly continued to block her. Eventually, she was able to get out of the room and leave the residence with her child, the complaint states.

Solberg allegedly ripped a phone out from the wall and left also.

Police later found his vehicle parked in his parents’ garage. At around 9 a.m., Solberg was spotted leaving that residence with his father. Officers pulled over the vehicle and spoke with Solberg’s father, who said he was turning his son in, the complaint states.

Several shells that matched the gun Solberg allegedly used were found in the truck. The suspect was then arrested and taken into custody.

According to records, Solberg had been arrested on May 4 for domestic assault of the same woman, and a no-contact order was issued. On June 6, Solberg was cited for violating the order.

That case is still being processed in Mower County court.