Lakeville Police Arrest Man for Allegedly Violating Order for Protection

Lakeville police arrested a 42-year-old Rosemount man early Tuesday after he allegedly violated an order for protection filed by an ex-girlfriend.

Thomas James Rourke allegedly knocked on the victim’s window and entered her garage. Police reportedly found him intoxicated and sitting in the victim’s car.

Rourke has been charged with felony burglary, gross misdemeanor stalking and two misdemeanors. He made his first appearance in Dakota County District Court on Thursday.

On Friday morning, he was being held in the Dakota County Jail on $60,000 bond.

According to the Dakota County District Court complaint released Thursday:

The victim told police she began hearing noises in her backyard at about midnight Tuesday, prompting her dog to bark. A couple hours later, she started hearing knocking on her basement bedroom window that gradually got louder.

After trying to ignore the knocking for a time, she allegedly went to the window and saw Rourke jump into the window well. Rourke allegedly told the victim he wanted to enter her residence and talk.

The victim called police at 2:45 a.m.

Police searched around the victim’s residence and found two service doors to a detached garage partially open. Police looked in the garage and allegedly saw Rourke leaning back in the front passenger seat of the victim’s car.

Officers told Rourke to exit the garage, and he was taken into custody. Police reportedly observed Rourke to be intoxicated, and they found several empty beer cars on the garage floor.

Rourke was charged with felony third-degree burglary, gross misdemeanor stalking, misdemeanor violating an order for protection, and misdemeanor tampering with a motor vehicle.

The order for protection was issued against Rourke after he reportedly held the victim hostage in her house in December while he threatened to kill himself with a firearm, according to the complaint.