Man Sentenced To Nearly 4 Years For Assaulting & Attempting To Kidnap Ex

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 28-year-old South St. Paul man has been sentenced in connection to a domestic assault and attempted kidnapping involving his ex-girlfriend.

The Carver County Attorney's Office says Mark Anthony Galatowitsch was sentenced Tuesday to 45 months – or 3.75 years – in prison on one count of attempted kidnapping and one count of felony domestic assault.

On the evening of Feb. 11, Galatowitsch showed up at his ex-girlfriend's place of work at General Mills in Chanhassen and waited in the parking lot for her to arrive. When she arrived, he yelled at her and ordered her to get in the vehicle. She refused, so he grabbed her and dragged her by her hair to his car. He tried getting her inside the car's open passenger door, but she resisted.

He punched the victim in the head several times, and she fell to the ground to prevent him from forcing her in the car. Galatowitsch fled when she screamed and bystanders and a security guard approached.

The victim told authorities that she heard a clicking noise during the incident that sounded like Galatowitsch was opening a knife.

Security cameras at the business captured most of the incident. Authorities were able to trace Galatowitsch from his vehicle's license plate and data gathered from his phone.

Galatowitsch was arrested two days later hiding inside a closet in his South St. Paul home. He had a box cutter nearby and another was located inside his vehicle.