Welch man faces first-degree burglary charges

A Welch man is facing charges after allegedly entering a residence, threatening people with a piece of lumber and punching his sister in the face earlier this month.

Joseph Frank Konchal, 31, has been charged with two counts of first-degree burglary, one count of fourth-degree property damage and three counts of fifth-degree assault. As of Thursday afternoon, he was being held in Goodhue County Jail with bail set at $35,000.

According to a court complaint filed Nov. 22, Konchal entered a residence at 1897 Chayka St. on Nov. 20. John Guy Dow, who was in the residence at the time, said Konchal entered the house through an unlocked door and was looking for heroin.

Dow said Konchal pushed him and began throwing things around inside the house. A short time later a second man, Michael Shawn Onan, arrived at the residence driving a Cadillac and was confronted by Konchal in the garage.

Konchal began digging through the vehicle looking for heroin, and when he “was unable to locate what he was looking for (he) began breaking out the tail lights using a wooden board,” the complaint states.

Onan said Konchal also threatened him with the wooden board. Konchal then broke a glass door and left the residence, the complaint says.

Prairie Island Tribal Police later learned Konchal was with his sister, Lisa Marie Konchal, who had originally driven him to the Chayka Street residence after picking him up from a Menomonie, Wis., jail.

Lisa Konchal told police she saw her brother go through the vehicle and break the glass door. Joseph Konchal then got back in Lisa Konchal’s vehicle, the complaint states, and Joseph Konchal told her to “take him to a friend’s home to get dope.”

Lisa Konchal then attempted to drive her brother to a hospital for his heroin addiction, but Joseph Konchal began punching her in the face and forced the vehicle off the road, the complaint states. Joseph Konchal jumped out of the vehicle.

Inver Grove Heights Police used a K-9 unit to attempt to locate him, but were unsuccessful. Joseph Konchal later called Prairie Island Police telling them he “was not going to turn himself into the police until he got his next fix of heroin first,” the complaint says.

Joseph Konchal was booked into Goodhue County Jail Nov. 30, jail records show. His first court appearance will be Dec. 12.

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