Apple Valley Man Accused of Drunk 'Car Hopping' Thefts

An Apple Valley man faces felony charges after police say he allegedly went "car hopping" while drunk, taking items from unlocked cars and allegedly smashing in one vehicle's windows with a baseball bat.

Carl Michael Hintzen, 21, is charged with first-degree criminal damage to property and receiving stolen property, both felonies, and fourth-degree DWI, a misdemeanor.

The maximum combined penalty for the charges would be 10 years, three months in prison and a $21,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, on April 29, an officer saw a vehicle without headlights on in the dark drive through a stop sign near 140th Street West and Diamond Path.

As the officer pulled over the vehicle, a radio call came through that said the person in the vehicle allegedly was a "car prowler" another officer had been following.

Hintzen was identified as the driver, the complaint says, and he allegedly admitted to being drunk and failed field sobriety tests before registering a .09 blood-alcohol level on a breath test.

Officers found several items in the vehicle that "appeared to be" stolen, the complaint says, including GPSes and a Macbook Pro computer. Hintzen allegedly told police he was "car hopping," taking items from unlocked cars.

He also allegedly admitted to breaking the windshield of one car with a baseball bat and slashing its tires because he had "an issue with" its owner, the complaint says.

Damage to the vehicle and value of the items each total more than $1,000, the complaint says.

A hearing for Hintzen in Dakota County Court is scheduled for Aug. 13.