Two area men are in custody and face felony charges for allegedly following an Austin man home from work and tying to break into his house.

Jeremy Paul Epperson, 27, of Austin, faces two felony burglary charges and a felony robbery charge, along with five lesser counts. Sean David Bogren, 40, of Albert Lea, also faces a felony robbery charge and another felony charge for terroristic threats.

According to a court complaint, the two allegedly began following a 25-year-old man home from work early Wednesday near Sixth Place and Second Street northwest.

The man told them he didn’t want problems, but the two continued to follow, approaching him near the Mayer Funeral Home parking lot. The man told Epperson and Bogren that he had no money, according to the complaint.

When the man pulled out a cell phone, he was told that he’d be attacked if he called police. The man also pulled out a lighter, according to the complaint, which the two suspects thought was a knife. They then began to run after the man.

The man approached his home on the 600 block of Second Street Northwest and yelled at his wife to let him in, but Bogren and Epperson were close by and he was unable to enter. The man ran around the house, according to the complaint.

Bogren allegedly yelled at the man’s wife when she opened the door, telling her he had a knife and would take her “to Jesus,” the complaint states. The woman closed the door, but then Epperson opened the screen door and smashed the window of the interior door.

Police arrived at around 3 a.m. and spoke with the 25-year-old man, as well as Bogren and Epperson.

Epperson said the man had cut him south of the residence, but police were unable to locate blood in that area. They did, however, locate a blood trail near the front door where the window was smashed. Epperson did have a large cut on his hand, according to the complaint, and appeared intoxicated while speaking.

Bogren told police he and Epperson had left the bar and began following the man. He said he thought the man pulled a knife, but it could have been a lighter. At that point, he said Epperson “went crazy” and chased the man. Bogren said he didn’t want to get in Epperson’s way and followed. Bogren also appeared drunk when speaking with police.

The two are in Mower County Custody and will appear in court on Sept. 3.