Apple Valley Man Allegedly Tries to Break Into House, Fights Homeowner While Intoxicated

An Apple Valley man faces a felony charge after police say he allegedly tried to break into an Apple Valley home while intoxicated, then had a physical altercation with the homeowner.

Gabriel Felix Serrano, 29, is charged with felony first-degree burglary in Dakota County. The maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $35,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, were called to a home on Garland Avenue in Apple Valley around 3:15 a.m. April 7, where the homeowner was "frantically waving" as police arrived.

The homeowner told police he heard a noise, and woke up to find a man outside walking around toward the back of the house, where he started kicking the glass patio door, the complaint says.

The homeowner said he tried to call 911 but the phone didn't work, and then he picked up the rod that secures the patio door and opened the door. The homeowner told police the man punched him in the arm, injuring the homeowner's arm and making it bleed, the complaint says.

After he had been hit, the homeowner said he hit the man back, then the man allegedly "charged" back into the house, according to the complaint.

The man then allegedly said "What am I doing? Where am I?" and sat down in a chair, according to what the homeowner told police in the complaint.

The homeowner, whose wife had been sleeping during the incident until that point, then called police.

According to police, Serrano appeared intoxicated and was uncooperative, the complaint says. He allegedly told police he didn't do anything wrong and didn't understand what was happening, before declining to say anything else.

Serrano remains in Dakota County Jail on $60,000 bail. A hearing in Dakota County Court in this case is scheduled for May 8.

Serrano was convicted in 2010 of petty misdemeanor theft in Dakota County, court records show. He also was convicted of third-degree DWI in 2006, and has DWI, underage consumption and underage alcohol possession convictions from 2001 and 2002.