Chanhassen Man Charged After Allegedly Firing Rifle During Road Rage Incident in Area of I-35W, Highway 62
Published: June 10th, 2026
HENNEPIN COUNTY MN: A Chanhassen man is facing felony assault charges after authorities allege he fired an AR-style rifle during a road rage incident in the area of Interstate 35W and Highway 62.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court, Richard Kelly Schickel, 28, of Chanhassen, has been charged with two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. Each charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of three years in prison due to the alleged use of a firearm.
According to the complaint, officers responded on June 2, 2026, to reports of shots fired in the area of I-35W and Highway 62.
Investigators say the incident began when a driver, identified in court documents as Victim 1, was traveling southbound on I-35W with his wife, identified as Victim 2. The complaint states Victim 1 moved into the left lane to provide space for a law enforcement traffic stop on the shoulder when another vehicle began tailgating him.
Victim 1 told officers that after braking and honking his horn, he merged toward westbound Highway 62. Prosecutors allege Schickel then pulled alongside the victims' vehicle, pointed an AR-style rifle at the occupants and fired a single round.
According to the complaint, the shot did not strike either victim or their vehicle. However, Victim 1 reported seeing a cartridge eject from the rifle after the shot was fired.
The complaint states that Victim 1 followed the suspect vehicle long enough to obtain its license plate number, which led investigators to a Mazda CX-9 registered to an address in Chanhassen.
Carver County deputies later located the vehicle in a parking lot and reportedly observed a rifle case in plain view. Authorities subsequently obtained a search warrant and allegedly recovered an AR-style rifle, loaded magazines and ammunition from the vehicle.
Court documents state investigators identified Schickel as the suspected driver and that his driver's license photograph matched a description provided by Victim 1.
During a June 3 phone interview, Schickel allegedly acknowledged driving in the area at the time of the incident. According to the complaint, he told investigators that the other vehicle had cut him off and swerved toward him, prompting him to arm himself with the rifle. Schickel allegedly admitted having the firearm on his lap but denied pointing or firing it.
On June 8, Schickel appeared at the Minneapolis Police Department Public Safety Building, where investigators conducted a second interview before placing him under arrest, according to the complaint.
Schickel remained in custody following the filing of the charges.
As with all criminal cases, the charges are allegations, and Schickel is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.