A man suspected of throwing an iron vise through the windshield of a car this week in Bloomington, seriously injuring the driver, has been a suspect in more than 100 cases of vandalism across the Twin Cities dating back to the early 1990s.
Gerret D. Parks, 39, was arrested Friday at the Bloomington home he shares with his mother in connection with Monday night's attack. The vise slammed into a car traveling south on Normandale Boulevard, ricocheted off the steering wheel and struck National Guard Sgt. Jon Stacke in the face, breaking the Iraq war veteran's jaw and knocking out several of his teeth.
Police have determined that Parks was in the area about the time of the incident, Bloomington Deputy Police Chief Rick Hart said. They also recovered items at his home that "may link him to the crimes that have been committed over the last six weeks," Hart said. He would not say what items.
Parks is expected to be charged Monday with felony second-degree assault.
"We're convinced this is the person responsible," Hart said. "Whether others are involved, at this point in time we're leaving that possibility open."
Stacke spent three nights in the hospital and went home Thursday night. He is now able to talk and to eat soft foods.
His wife, Shannon Stacke, said she was excited when she heard of the arrest. "For me it was the best news ... I was driving [when the news came] and I had to pull over," she said. "I'm just really impressed with how fast it came about, and hopefully we can prevent this from happening to somebody else."
Her husband, however, was trying not to get too excited until they know for sure if Parks is the culprit, she said.
