Remaining defendants in Valleyfair attack plead guilty
The remaining four of six defendants accused in the beating of a suburban dad last year at Valleyfair have entered guilty pleas to felony assault.
By ABBY SIMONS, Star Tribune
Last update: June 9, 2009 - 3:12 PM
The remaining four of six defendants accused in the beating of a suburban dad last year at Valleyfair have entered guilty pleas to felony assault.
Derry Evans, 20, of Minneapolis; Terry L. Arnold, 23, of Brooklyn Park; Andrew D. Shannon, 20, of Minneapolis, and Anthony C. Gildersleeve, 21, of Edina each pleaded guilty to third-degree assault, a felony, in Scott County District Court. Arnold entered his plea May 28, Shannon pleaded June 1, and Evans and Gildersleeve pleaded June 4. All four will be sentenced at 1 p.m. Aug. 4.
Darris D. Evans, 21, of Brooklyn Park and DeVondre Q. Evans-Lewis, 19, of Columbia Heights pleaded guilty to felony third-degree assault on April 13. They will be sentenced June 22.
The guilty pleas for all defendants are to a lesser charge than first-degree assault, which most of the men were charged with following the July 5 attack that occurred shortly after midnight at the Shakopee amusement park.
The men are accused of taking turns stomping on and kicking the head of a 41-year-old Apple Valley man. He was knocked unconscious as his wife and three daughters tried to help him. He suffered broken bones to the face, cuts and a serious head injury.
Prosecutors say the fight began when one of the suspects harassed and assaulted the victim's 15-year-old daughter. The man was attacked as he stepped in to intervene.