Second-degree murder without intent while committing a felony has been charged against a Windom man following an altercation at the Phat Pheasant Pub in Windom early Thursday morning.
Ralph Leslie Apmann, 57, was charged on Friday in Cottonwood County District Court and is being held in Cottonwood County Jail on $150,000 bail with conditions and $1 million without.
According to the complaint, Windom Police officers and a Windom ambulance were called to the Phat Pheasant Pub in Windom at 12:43 a.m., Thursday, for an unresponsive male.
According to the complaint, Apmann and the victim had been playing pool, then went outside the back door of the bar to have a cigarette. According to the complaint, Apmann said the victim punched him in the head before they got out the door. Apmann “grabbed the victim around his waist, picked him up and tackled him to the ground outside.”
Ultimately, Apmann “then placed the victim in a choke hold” and said “he held the victim in the choke hold until he stopped struggling.”
According to the complaint, Apmann said “the victim was passed out like a drunk.” According to the complaint, when Apmann left, the victim was flat on his back and taking deep loud breaths.
The victim was brought to the emergency room at Windom Area Health and pronounced dead at 1:28 a.m.
The victim was brought to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner, where an autopsy was completed Thursday.
Apmann’s next hearing in Cottonwood County District Court is Sept. 7, at 11 a.m.
Check Wednesday’s edition of the Cottonwood County Citizen for more details on this story.
Watch www.windomnews.com for regular weekday updates at 8 a.m./noon/5 p.m., plus BREAKING stories at other times during the day and on weekends. Follow CoCoCitizen@CitPub on Twitter.
