A single punch outside a St. Paul bar killed a 30-year-old man, according to a criminal complaint filed Friday.
Pheng Vang, of St. Paul, was charged in Ramsey County District Court with first-degree manslaughter in connection with the fight on March 23 at the Far East bar that led to the death of 30-year-old Peter Nguyen, of Coon Rapids.
Vang remains jailed in lieu of $200,000 ahead of a court appearance on Thursday. Court records do not list an attorney for him.
According to the complaint:
A witness said Nguyen “had some kind of issue with people who had been attending a birthday party” at the bar in the 900 block of Arcade Avenue.
Nguyen was “squaring up to fight” someone outside when Vang stepped in and sent Nguyen to the ground with one punch.
Under questioning at police headquarters, Vang said he saw that a member of his family and Nguyen were about to fight. He said he wanted to diffuse the situation, saw Nguyen bend down to pick up a shot glass and threw a punch that struck Nguyen in the shoulder and the face.
The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled that Nguyen died from a head injury.
