REGIONAL BRIEFS: Crop vandal faces felony charges

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From the Forum Communications News Bureau

$4M approved for Oil Patch emergency services

BISMARCK -- The Board of North Dakota Department of Trust Lands awarded $4 million in grants Thursday to help fund emergency services in oil-producing counties.

The grants are part of the state’s $135 million Energy Impact Grant Fund that was created to address impacts created by rapid oil and gas development.

Board members approved 66 grant applications to support law enforcement, firefighters and emergency medical services, including $200,000 for a new ambulance building in Watford City; $125,000 for fire suppression equipment for Williston; $120,000 toward a new fire rescue truck and equipment for New Town rural and city fire departments; and $100,000 to equip two additional police officers in Stanley.

In March, during the first round of grants dedicated to public safety, the board approved $12 million in funding.

(FCC)

Kindred man injured in farm truck accident

WALCOTT, N.D. – A Kindred man suffered unknown injuries when he became pinned between a farm truck and pickup on Wednesday in rural Walcott, the Richland County Sheriff’s Office said.

The accident happened at about 4:20 p.m. at 5895 State Highway 18, nine miles west of Walcott.

Craig Allen Roe, 57, was unhooking a pickup from behind a farm truck when the truck rolled backward, pinning him between the vehicles. A co-worker quickly helped him get free.

Roe was taken by Kindred Ambulance to Sanford Medical Center in Fargo. He was not a patient there as of Thursday morning, a hospital spokeswoman said.

(FF)

NDSU McNair scholars receives federal funding

FARGO – The McNair Scholars program at North Dakota State University has received notice it will remain funded by the U.S. Department of Education for the next five years.

Students chosen for the program have the opportunity to engage in graduate-level research under the guidance of NDSU faculty and library mentors. McNair Scholars are NDSU undergraduates who demonstrate strong academic potential and show an interest in research.

In addition to a monthly stipend and an opportunity to attend conferences related to their studies, the scholars are provided educational and support services to assist them in preparing for an advanced degree.

The new funding opportunities will be expanded to students with disabilities and women pursuing a degree in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, commonly known as STEM.

Students chosen for the program have the opportunity to engage in graduate-level research under the guidance of NDSU faculty and library mentors. McNair Scholars are NDSU undergraduates who demonstrate strong academic potential and show an interest in research.

(FF)

Minnesota

Trooper arrested for DUI at training

DULUTH -- A Minnesota State Patrol trooper was arrested for driving while impaired when he reported for an in-service training session at the Patrol’s district office in Duluth on Wednesday.

Trooper Nick Morse of Two Harbors has been placed on investigative leave.

According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Morse drove his squad car from his home in Two Harbors and arrived at the training at 8:10 a.m. A supervisor noticed the odor of alcohol coming from Morse, who was given field sobriety tests and arrested

Morse was taken to the St. Louis County Jail, where a breath test showed an alcohol concentration of .08, which is the legal limit in Minnesota. Morse was then booked into the St. Louis County Jail and issued a citation for 4th Degree DUI.

Morse has been a state trooper since April 2009. He has not previously been disciplined.

“State troopers are dedicated to taking impaired drivers off the road, which makes this incident even more egregious and unacceptable,” Col. Kevin Daly, chief of the State Patrol, said in a prepared statement. “We don’t tolerate impaired driving, regardless of who is behind the wheel.”

(DNT)

Prosecutor disappointed with bond for rape suspect

MOORHEAD, Minn. – Assistant Clay County Attorney Pam Harris expressed strong disappointment Thursday with the amount of bail that was set for a man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in her car.

“He is a flight risk. He has a lot of financial ability to flee,” Harris said, referring to Richard Lee Haaland Jr., 46, of Fargo, who is charged in Clay County District Court with first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Harris had requested $1 million bail, the most she has ever asked for in a criminal case.

Haaland was released from jail Wednesday after posting $100,000 bond. Clay County Judge Lisa Borgen set conditions of release for Haaland at $500,000 bail without conditions and $100,000 bail with conditions.

Harris said a bag was found in Haaland’s north Fargo home that contained a “substantial amount of money” and a passport. Harris said Haaland has surrendered his passport, but she said a strong flight risk continues to exist.

Haaland’s next court appearance is set for Oct. 5.

Haaland is accused of assaulting a woman early in the morning Sept. 6.

(FF)

Crop vandal faces felony charges

WILLMAR, Minn. — A Willmar man is accused of driving his pickup through multiple crop fields near Willmar and Pennock, causing thousands of dollars in lost crop yields.

Bronson Cody Evenson, 20, made his first court appearance Wednesday on three felony charges of first-degree criminal damage to property. According to the court file, the estimated damage is at least $13,000 in lost yields.

Evenson was arrested after Kandiyohi County deputies found his 1995 Chevy pickup with soybean leaves in the front grill, wheat tops on and around the vehicle and corn leaves and plants hanging from the underside of the pickup.

According to the complaint, the Kandiyohi Sheriff’s Office received reports July 28 and 29 from farmers that someone had driven a vehicle through their fields near the Willmar airport and north of Pennock.

July 30, a citizen, who had read new reports about damage to the fields, reported seeing a young man removing corn stalks from his vehicle in Willmar, leading deputies to the pickup.

Evenson allegedly admitted that he and a friend had driven through the fields after they’d left a party near Pennock.

(WCT)

Dakota War of 1862 topic of presentation

MOORHEAD, Minn. – Tamara St. John, a historian and archivist for the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Historic Preservation Office, will present “A Dakota Perspective on the Dakota War of 1862” at 2 p.m. Oct. 13 here at the Hjemkomst Center.

She will discuss events leading up to the Dakota-U.S. war and its aftermath as seen through the eyes of the Dakota people. St. John has conducted extensive research on the war, in particular with the legislation that pertains to the exile of the Dakota from the state of Minnesota.

The presentation is free and open to the public. For more information, call (218) 299-5511.

(FF)

South Dakota

Two arrested after high-speed chase

RAVINIA, S.D. — Two people are in custody after leading law enforcement officers on a high-speed pursuit for more than an hour Thursday before running out of gas.

Douglas County Deputy Sgt. Jason Babl said Thursday afternoon the two people arrested were still being identified and charges against them were still pending.

The chase began about 11 a.m. when Babl and Douglas County Deputy Gene Niehus attempted to stop a vehicle for allegedly traveling southbound at 90 mph in a 55 mph zone. The driver of the vehicle refused to stop and a chase ensued.

The suspects’ vehicle sped off, with speeds sometimes exceeding 100 mph and lasted about an hour and 15 minutes, Babel said.

Forty-five minutes into the chase, road spikes were deployed and damaged the suspects’ vehicle, but the chase continued for another 30 minutes before the suspects’ vehicle apparently ran out of gas southwest of Ravinia.

The two people arrested did not resist once their vehicle was stopped, Babel said.

(DR)

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