In tirade, trucker allegedly pulls knife on another trucker at Hormel

8/16/2007 8:21:44 PM
Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN
AUSTIN,MN-- A truck driver who apparently went into a tirade Tuesday when asked to move his semi in the Hormel Foods parking lot is accused of holding a knife to another trucker and threatening to "gut him."
John Hecker, 52, of Tazewell, Tenn., appeared Thursday in Mower District Court on felony charges of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and terroristic threats. Conditional bail was set at $5,000 for Hecker, who is to return to court on Aug. 30.
Hecker was in the Hormel lot and having trouble getting his trailer's refrigeration unit to work when another trucker asked him to move his semi so that he could get his own trailer into position for a delivery.
The 51-year-old trucker who asked Hecker to move his truck told police that Hecker began yelling at him when he made the request, saying he was having a "bad day" and not to mess with him.
After several requests, Hecker allegedly pulled a 4-inch knife, placed it on the trucker's abdomen and threatened him, causing a divot in the man's shirt and redness on his navel, according to a criminal complaint. The knife's point didn't penetrate his skin.
A 70-year-old security officer was trying to help start Hecker's refrigeration unit when the incident occurred. The security guard told police that Hecker moved his truck after putting away the knife.
Police found the knife in a belt holster on Hecker's right hip. According to the complaint, Hecker told police that he was trying to protect himself from the other man, who was yelling at him and put a hand on his shoulder.