Road Rage Incident Leads to Felony Charge Against Byron Man, Injuries for Victim

Byron, MN (KROC-AM News)- A Byron man is facing a felony assault charge for a road rage incident. 

See Also: Minnesota Saw a 6-Year Low in Fatal Crashes Last Year 

A criminal complaint, filed earlier this week in Olmsted County Court says the alleged assault occurred over a year ago. 

The court document also says the victim was still experiencing after effects from the alleged assault a year after it happened. 

42-Year-Old Man Charged With Assault for Road Rage Incident in Byron

42-year-old Matthew John Ahlberg is charged with felony third-degree assault and misdemeanor fifth-degree assault. 

The charges say the victim reported the incident to the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office on November 2 of 2024.

He told the deputy he was driving through the Somerby neighborhood in Byron when he saw a man he knew to be his neighbor, later identified as Ahlberg, following him in a pickup truck. 

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Ahlberg then passed the victim, made a gesture then slammed on his breaks once he was in front of the victim’s vehicle, the complaint says. Both vehicles came to a stop and both men got out of their vehicles. 

Ahlberg then grabbed him by the sweatshirt and slammed the victim into the front of his vehicle, the victim said. 

The complaint says a deputy noticed a clean spot on the victim’s truck where he said Ahlberg allegedly slammed him. The victim reported the collision was hard enough to knock the lens out of his sunglasses. 

Man Charged in Byron Road Rage Assault Took Issue With Victim's Driving Conduct in Somerby Neighborhood

Ahlberg told deputies he passed the victim on County Rd. 5 and gestured for the victim to pull over. He told deputies the victim had driven recklessly through the Somberby neighborhood, the complaint says.

The victim also said Ahlberg told him, "Don't ever drive like that through Somerby again." 

Victim in Byron Road Rage Assault Case Faces Cognitive Issues

The victim was brought to the emergency room on the night of the alleged assault and was diagnosed with a concussion and whiplash.

The charges also say the victim was later diagnosed with “cognitive disorder due to brain injury, post-concussion syndrome, and loss function vision.” 

The victim reported frequent headaches, difficulty reading and needing glasses after the alleged assault. Testing conducted a year after the alleged assault indicated the victim, “continues to have measurable impairment to cognitive status, the complaint says. 

Ahlberg is being charged by summons and is scheduled to make his first court appearance later this year.