An off-duty St. Paul firefighter was looking at a lottery ticket inside a gas station in St. Paul last spring when he felt something spray him from behind, he said in court.
He turned around and saw a 9-year-old boy holding a spray bottle of glass and surface cleaner. That’s when he lost his temper, Kevin Lagos told a Ramsey County district judge Monday.
Lagos grabbed the spray bottle from the boy, pointed it at him and raised his voice, he said.
He made the admission during a plea hearing in which the 53-year-old wound up pleading guilty to one count of misdemeanor-level fifth-degree assault for his conduct.
A disorderly conduct charge previously facing him in the case was dismissed.
Lagos’ attorney, Dan Guerrero, said the assault charge involves invoking fear in someone without engaging in physical contact.
“He apologized and said he should have handled the situation better,” Guerrero said of Lagos’ remarks during the hearing. “He never hurt the boy.”
Lagos was sentenced Monday to write a letter of apology for his conduct and complete 40 hours of community service, according to court records.
If he remains law-abiding for the next year, the charge will not go on his record.
Guerrero said he expects that Lagos will soon resume working at the fire department.