Enraged Gopher fan causes three-hour standoff with police

Photo credited to the Star Tribune

If you spoil the big game for Dan Drobac before he has a chance to watch it on TiVo, things can take a dangerous turn.

On the morning of Jan. 18, a utility contractor working outside Drobac’s home in Eagan blared a local sports talk-radio station that was discussing Minnesota’s 83-75 loss the night before.

Turns out Drobac, 32, really did not want to know how the game ended and fell into a rage, threatening to shoot the contractor  triggering a three-hour standoff with SWAT and police.

“I’m not kidding. I’m going to [expletive] shoot you,” said Drobac according to the criminal compliant.

Local law enforcement sent robo-calls to hundreds of local residents urging them to stay inside as roads were shut down around the residence.

The incident ended peacefully and with an arrest after more than 3 1/2 hours. Police did not find a gun in the home, but they did find a large kitchen knife in the snow that Drobac had allegedly thrown at the utility worker.

Drobac was charged last Thursday with making felony terroristic threats. Besides a recent detox visit, he has no criminal history.

There was no mention of whether Drobac was finally able to watch the Minnesota-Michigan game after he was released, but the Gopher loss the night before certainly didn’t help calm the animal within Drobac that was unleashed by an ill-timed utility worker’s radio.