Tue, Sep 19th, 2023 - 8:47pm
March 20, 2019 - 1:42pm | By Chris Larson
A 70-year-old Edinburg, North Dakota, man is in jail following an incident late in the evening Monday in rural Walsh County.
According to court documents, Eldon Troftgruben called 9-1-1 to report a verbal domestic dispute. Authorities arrived on scene and spoke with Troftgruben and the victim.
Troftgruben said the victim lied in the home with him and cared for him due to medical problems. They were previously in a domestic relationship, but, as of six months ago, they broke up.
The argument stemmed from Troftgruben being in various romantic relationships with others. They had agreed to the victim staying in the house for the night and leaving in the morning.
Then, Troftgruben shot his .223 bolt action rifle out the front door towards the victim’s vehicle. Troftgruben said he did the action because he didn’t want the victim to leave until the cops arrived, because she took his hand guns. He said she “probably hid the guns due to the fact that she thought I was going to shoot her.”
Troftgruben then became intoxicated and was “waving” the gun around the entryway and pointed the barrel of the rifle at the victim, causing her to fear for her life.
Troftgruben has been charged with reckless endangerment, a Class C Felony; felonius restraint, a Class C Felony; and criminal mischief, a Class A Misdemeanor.
If found guilty, he faces a possible 10 years, 360 days in prison. He is in the Walsh County Jail on $15,000 bond. His next appearance is April 1.
