Anoka County prosecutors say a convicted killer pummeled a man repossessing his vehicle, unhooked his car from a tow truck and drove off.

Clinton Trass, 44, of Fridley was charged Thursday in District Court with first-degree carjacking and robbery in connection with the attack on the tow truck driver on April 11 outside Trass' home in the 6100 block of Star Lane NE.

Trass appeared in court Thursday and remains jailed in lieu of $5,000 bail. Court records do not list an attorney for him. He's due back in court on June 16.

Trass' criminal history includes a wide range of offenses in Minnesota. He's been convicted nearly 20 times for driving while his license was revoked and five times for not having car insurance.

He also was convicted of first-degree manslaughter for the shooting of 21-year-old Ronzell Jones in June 2004 during a fistfight that broke out at Bobby and Steve's Auto World near the Metrodome.

According to Thursday's charges, based on the victim's account to police: Officers were dispatched to the scene and saw the tow truck driver sitting on the pavement and his vehicle stopped in the middle of the street.

The driver was there to repossess Trass' Acura TLX sedan. Trass ran out of his house and confronted the driver, who then climbed into the truck's cab.

Trass pulled him out of the truck and pushed him up against the vehicle. The driver got back in, only to be yanked out again by Trass.

Trass tried to get in the truck, and a struggle between the two men ensued. Trass punched the driver in the head multiple times, put him in a headlock and threw him to the ground.

While in the truck, Trass drove forward and freed his car. He took the driver's keys and phone, drove off in his car and tossed the phone out of the window.

The driver's injuries included a bite mark on one shoulder, a scraped leg and a black eye.

Police spotted a debit card and a hat on the ground that the driver said belonged to Trass.

On Tuesday, police stopped Trass and arrested him moments after he drove from his home.