Cambridge man convicted in gun dispute involving Minnesota House speaker

A man charged with pulling a gun during a dispute in Montana where then-House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt was present was found guilty of felony assault last month.

Daniel Benjamin Weinzetl, 25, of Cambridge, pleaded no contest to assault with a weapon in Park County District Court Nov. 17. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dismissed additional felony charges of aggravated assault and criminal endangerment. A sentencing date has not been scheduled.

Weinzetl was charged in connection with a Sept. 7, 2013, incident after he and Daudt, 41, of Crown traveled to Livingston, Mont., to buy a vintage Ford Bronco. Daudt, who will be the House speaker when the Legislature convenes in January, got into an argument with the seller that escalated, according to court records. While Daudt and the seller argued, Weinzetl pulled Daudt's black handgun from the car and allegedly pointed it at the seller's "entire family, including the children." according to court records. Daudt was not charged in the incident.

The incident came to light in January, after a report aired on KSTP-TV. Daudt acknowledged he was present during the incident but said he made every effort to defuse the situation.

Daudt was elected House speaker last month after Republicans regained control of the Minnesota House.

Weinzetl, a construction worker, was found guilty in 2010 of assaulting a police officer and obstructing the legal process after a March 2010 incident in which he punched a man outside his home. When an Isanti County sheriff's deputy arrived at the house, Weinzetl shoved and punched the deputy, breaking his glasses and tearing his uniform, according to records.

ABBY SIMONS