A local man has been sentenced to 30 years in the South Dakota State Penitentiary after pleading guilty to two counts of Aggravated Assault for a July 7, 2025 attack on two young women sitting in a parked car after a day at the lake.
Senior Deputy State’s Attorney Braedon Houdek told the court that 19‑year‑old Mikael Fox, a stranger to the victims, tore open their car door and began strangling the driver. When the passenger tried to intervene, he dragged the driver from the vehicle, slammed her to the ground, and continued choking her while threatening, “This is your last day on earth.” He then put the passenger in a chokehold until she lost consciousness, later attacking the driver again as she tried to save her friend.
The assault ended only when a nearby gas station clerk heard screams, witnessed the ongoing attack, and intervened. After his arrest, Fox told authorities, “This is what happens when you give me tequila.”
Both victims told the court the attack left deep emotional trauma, with one saying she hopes she can “feel safe in my hometown again.” After consulting with the victims, Houdek requested a 30‑year sentence—15 years on each count—which Judge Matthew Brown imposed.
Houdek prosecuted the case on behalf of the State.
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