Tom Olsen
Duluth News Tribune, Minn.
(MCT)
Jun. 13—DULUTH — A firefighter has been found guilty of assaulting a woman along a western Duluth trial following a dispute about his off-leash dogs in July 2020.
Judge Theresa Neo on Monday convicted Conrad John Sunde IV, 50, of a felony count of third-degree assault. Neo, who heard testimony on the incident in April, served as fact-finder after Sunde waived his right to a jury.
St. Louis County prosecutor Nate Stumme said it was a “gross overreaction” by Sunde to charge at 65-year-old Mary Modec with his bicycle, knocking her to the ground, after she asked him to place his three dogs on a leash as required by city ordinance. Modec testified that Sunde that began grinding her face into the ground and took her phone, throwing it into the woods.
But Sunde disputed portions of Modec’s testimony, saying he inadvertently knocked her to the ground while attempting to protect himself and his dogs as it appeared Modec was reaching for a canister of pepper spray around her neck. He denied shoving her face against the gravel and said he only tossed her phone into the woods to divert her attention while he left the scene.
Sunde, of Proctor, has been employed by the Duluth Fire Department since January 2001 and was named the city’s Firefighter of the Year in 2011. He served a 30-day unpaid suspension in the immediate aftermath of the incident, a but a felony conviction could imperil his ability to continue serving as a licensed firefighter.
This is a developing story; check back later for updates.
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