The National Weather Service advises residents of Wright and Meeker counties that anyone traveling north today with children, the elderly, or people with respiratory issues are being advised to limit outdoor exposure. While Wright and Meeker counties will just see hazy sunshine, counties just to the north will be experiencing an Orange Air Quality Alert (unhealthy for sensitive groups) until 4 p.m. today. The reason for the alert is smoke drifting southward from wildfires in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The National Weather Service will continue updating the air quality issues as more smoke is expected to drift southward from Canada in the coming days.
Archive for Cokato
Cokato American Legion Poppy Day is Friday, May 19
The Cokato American Legion Aux. Unit 209 will be at the MarketPlace Friday, May 19 with the familiar red poppies.
The Aux. ladies will be asking community members to wear a poppy in recognition of all veterans who served the US.
Poppy contributions are devoted entirely to rehabilitation and assistance for veterans and their families. Auxiliary members thank you for caring.
Dassel man responsible for August 2022 standoff sentenced to jail, five years of probation
A man who made threats leading to a day-long standoff with law enforcement at his residence in rural Dassel was sentenced to 365 days in jail and five years of probation, according to the West Central Tribune.
Aaron Mitchel Peterson, 32, was deemed guilty by a jury in January on all 12 charges filed against him in the Aug. 1, 2022, incident. Those convictions include an amended felony charge of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, a felony threats of violence charge and 10 more gross misdemeanor charges for possessing firearms or ammunition while not eligible to do so and for drug possession.
Judge Stephanie Beckman on Monday in Meeker County District Court sentenced Peterson to a 36-month prison sentence for the assault charge, stayed for five years while he serves probation. That sentence is a downward dispositional departure. According to Minnesota’s standard sentencing guidelines, Peterson could have served a presumptive prison sentence.
Beckman ordered an 18-month prison sentence, which was also stayed for five years, for the felony threats of violence charge.
If he successfully completes probation, he will not have to serve the prison time.
Conditions for Peterson include completing a behavioral treatment program and mental health diagnostic assessment and following all recommendations. Peterson will have to write a letter of apology to victims, submit to random searches and give a DNA sample. He is also barred from owning or operating firearms or other dangerous weapons.
Beckman also sentenced Peterson to serve 365 days of jail with credit for 279 days already served. The sentencing order also lists 30-day jail segments in each of the next four years that may be deferred if Peterson is in compliance with probation.
Peterson had been held in custody since January 2023. According to the sentencing order, Peterson was allowed to be released directly to treatment beginning May 9. He is not shown as in custody by the state Department of Corrections.
According to an amended criminal complaint, on Aug. 1, 2022, the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office had initially been dispatched to Peterson’s residence after he had threatened to shoot up a family member’s home when they refused his demands to return his guns.
At the time, Peterson was on probation for a felony offense and could not legally possess firearms, thus the family member refused to turn them over. According to the criminal complaint, the felony offense from a few years prior had also resulted in a standoff between Peterson and law enforcement.
Peterson told the family member that if they called law enforcement that they would be responsible if anyone got hurt, allegedly stating it was “going to be the end of it.”
The family member reported to law enforcement that they believed Peterson was suicidal, using controlled substances, and that he was possibly armed. Given the nature of the report, a SWAT response was enabled and a deputy posted himself outside Peterson’s home anticipating the SWAT team’s arrival.
A man who drove away from Peterson’s residence told the deputy that Peterson had a shotgun stored somewhere in the house and that he did not appear under the influence of any drugs.
During the standoff, officers at different times reported hearing sounds they suspected were gunshots from within the home. A subsequent search after Peterson’s arrest found nine firearms and evidence that Peterson had fired shots in the home during the standoff in the direction of law enforcement officers.
According to the complaint, after continued attempts to communicate with Peterson and deploying gas, officers breached a windowless bathroom on the main floor believing it could have been used as a hiding spot around 8 p.m. the next evening.
Communications continued and chemical rounds were used. Peterson eventually surrendered without incident, was medically cleared and arrested.
Charger robotics team grabs state championship
FOR SUBSCRIBERS:
Subscribers have full access to this article and more by clicking here. Subscriptions start as low as $1.50 for a two-day subscription, the same price as a newspaper on a newsstand
Cokato City Council hears about parking challenges
FOR SUBSCRIBERS:
“Natural gas is an issue right now, and I’m not getting a lot of answers,” Potter said. He was specifically referring to Centerpoint Energy charging $600,000 to extend natural gas service to the industrial park
Subscribers have full access to this article and more by clicking here. Subscriptions start as low as $1.50 for a two-day subscription, the same price as a newspaper on a newsstand
DC sophomore Lance Seifert finds his niche on the Hutch Tigers Cycling team
FOR SUBSCRIBERS:
Subscribers have full access to this article and more by clicking here. Subscriptions start as low as $1.50 for a two-day subscription, the same price as a newspaper on a newsstand