Behlmann Dealership Owner Charged In Moscow Mills Assault Case
- John Eads
- Jun 4
- 3 min read
Moscow Mills, Mo. — A disagreement between two drivers on Highway 61 didn’t end when they exited the highway.
Instead, it followed them into the parking lot of a Moscow Mills shopping center, where one man allegedly ended up on the ground bleeding and the owner of a prominent Lincoln County car dealership now faces a felony assault charge.
Douglas Joseph Kohnen, owner of Behlmann Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Troy, has been charged with Assault in the 3rd Degree following the April incident.
Douglas Joseph Kohnen, Wentzville, Missouri.
Charges:
• Assault – 3rd Degree (Class E Felony)
Lincoln CountyWatch reached out to Behlmann Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram for comment prior to publication. A message was left with the dealership’s comptroller, but no response had been received as of publication.
The confrontation allegedly began while both men were traveling northbound on Highway 61.
One driver described an increasingly tense encounter that involved lane changes, sudden braking, and both vehicles jockeying for position in traffic. What started as frustration behind the wheel eventually carried off the highway and into Moscow Springs Plaza.
Once the vehicles stopped, both drivers got out.
What happened next is where the two accounts begin to differ.
The alleged victim said he got out intending to confront the other driver about what had happened on the roadway.
He told police the encounter became physical almost immediately.
According to the allegations, he was shoved backward and told, “You just need to get back in your car and leave.”
He said he pushed back.
Then the fight was on.
The alleged victim claimed he was punched, knocked to the pavement, and struck again while on the ground. By the time officers arrived, he was bleeding from his nose and had visible injuries to his face and neck.
A witness who followed the incident from Highway 61 into the parking lot reported seeing the confrontation unfold after both men exited their vehicles.
The witness said the argument escalated into a physical fight and described seeing one man on the ground while blows continued.
Kohnen gave a much different account.
He told police the other driver had been the aggressor throughout the encounter and followed him into the parking lot. Kohnen said he approached to ask what the problem was and claimed the other man struck him first.
Kohnen maintained he acted in self-defense.
The charge filed in Lincoln County does not resolve whose version is correct.
Instead, it moves the dispute from a parking lot confrontation to a courtroom, where both sides will have an opportunity to present their version of what happened.
The case remains pending.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If you have information, corrections, or tips, contact Lincoln CountyWatch at tips@LincolnCountyWatch.com or call/text 636-377-0201.
Lincoln CountyWatch is not affiliated with any law enforcement agency or government entity.
Story written by John Eads.
Sources:
Lincoln County Circuit Court
Moscow Mills Police Department