A Maple Grove man pleaded guilty Thursday in Hennepin County District Court to fatally stabbing a 21-year-old acquaintance during an argument about money last summer in Minneapolis' Dinkytown neighborhood.

Under a negotiated plea deal, Brandon Bockoven, 24, pleaded guilty to second-degree unintentional murder in the death of Sean Maina, also of Maple Grove.

On Aug. 25 of last year, police were called to the area of 13th and University avenues SE., where they found Maina suffering from a stab wound in the front seat of a Honda sedan. Bockoven, who was in the driver's seat, told police he had stabbed Maina. Two other people were in the car's back seat.

Just before the stabbing, Bockoven and Maina had been arguing over money for auto parts that Bockoven said Maina owed him, police said.

Bockoven gave police a blue folding knife he said he had used to stab Maina. Maina was taken to a hospital, where he died.

During questioning by Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Dan Allard, Bockoven admitted that when he pulled out the knife, he intended to either scare Maina or stab him.

Bockoven will be sentenced on April 18. With the plea deal, he could serve up to 15 years in prison. During Thursday's hearing, he said in response to questions from his attorney that he has no plans to take the case to trial or to use mental illness as a defense.

BEATRICE DUPUY