COKATO, MN – A St. Paul man was arrested in Dassel Saturday and charged with theft from two gas stations along Highway 12 – Casey’s in Montrose and Cenex in Cokato, according to the Wright County Sheriff’s office.
Steven Duncan, 52, of St. Paul was arrested for what law enforcement call “quick change” at the two gas stations. Quick changes is when a person, in this case Duncan, uses a technique where they ask cashiers for change repeatedly confusing the cashier and therefore getting more cash than originally given.
While a Wright County deputy was investigating the theft of $50 to $80 stolen from the Montrose Casey’s, a cashier at the Cokato Cenex also reported a similar crime where the suspect obtained $60 of the store’s money. A liscence plate number and description of the vehicle was obtained and the suspect was stopped by a Meeker County deputy in Dassel.
Though this isn’t a real common crime, it does tend to happen occassionally, mostly on freeways and highways, according to Mike Even at the Wright County Sherriff’s office.
MEEKER COUNTY, MN – Meeker County Sheriff Jeff Norlin announced Tuesday that the Meeker County
Sheriff’s Office is teaming up with Project Lifesaver, a national agency that works with LoJack SafetyNet for the tracking and locating of people with cognitive conditions who tend to wander, such as Alzheimer’s, Autism, Down Syndrome and Dementia patients.
Norlin said that wandering is a life threatening behavior associated with people who have these cognitive conditions and time is one of the most critical factors in a search. This program is a highly effective solution to public safety agencies responsible for rescuing those in need, according to Norlin.
To begin the program, the family must apply with the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office. A waterproof transmitter bracelet is put on the wrist of the family member in the program. The bracelet is worn all day, every day and sends out a signal every second of the day. Should this member wander away, the family contacts the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office who will have the trained personnel to use the tracking equipment needed to find the missing loved one, according to Norlin.
Project Lifesaver was established in 1999, has developed a network of more that 1,000 Law Enforcement and Public Safety Agencies nationwide and has more that 2,000 successful rescues to date. Sheriff Norlin
advised it is a relatively straightforward program. Many state and national associations, including the National Sheriff’s Association and The Alzheimer’s Foundation, endorse project Lifesaver.
For information on Project Lifesaver, or if you have a family member or know someone who would benefit from this program, you are encouraged to call the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office at (320) 693-5400.
COSMOS, MN – Steven William Quast, age 54, of Hutchinson was killed in a motorcycle accident Nov. 6 when he when he struck a deer and lost control, according to a Meeker County Sheriff’s report.
The accident occurred at approximately 8:49 p.m. on CSAH 1, ¼ of a mile north of MN Hwy 7. Meeker County Deputies, Cosmos Police, Cosmos Fire and Cosmos Ambulance were dispatched to the scene.
Investigation shows that Quast was southbound on CSAH 1 on a 1987 Harley Davidson motorcycle that he
was riding. The motorcycle rolled several times and came to rest in the west ditch.
The Minnesota State Patrol assisted the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office and the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the accident.
LITCHFIELD, MN - A 24-year-old Litchfield man was struck and killed by a train Oct. 20, according to the Meeker County Sheriff’s Department.
At 6:07 p.m., the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a train/pedestrian accident that occurred at the railroad crossing located on Meeker County State Aid Highway 1 on the west side of Litchfield. Emergency personnel responded to the location and found Keith Sully McKay, formerly of Fairmont, deceased at the scene.
From information gathered from the scene and speaking with train personal as well as, a witness who was hunting nearby, indicated that McKay was walking eastbound on the railroad tracks and was struck by a Burlington Northern/Santa Fe railroad train also traveling eastbound, according to the report.
Investigation determined the train was traveling at a speed of 44 miles per hour and sounded its whistle for a period of 47 seconds prior to the accident. A pair of headphones and a music listening device was found at the scene and may have been a factor in this accident, the report said.
Other assisting agencies were Litchfield Police Department, Litchfield Rescue, Gold Cross Ambulance, and Litchfield Fire Department.
The Meeker County Sheriff’s Office and the Meeker County Coroner’s Office are investigating the accident.
DASSEL, MN - The Meeker County Sheriff’s Department received several reports Monday of mailboxes damaged in Dassel that likely occurred Sunday evening, according to chief deputy Brad Lindgren.
There were five reports of mailboxes damaged on Willis Street and 723rd Street in Dassel Monday. “We call them ‘mailbox murders’ . . . and take them very seriously,” Lindgren said.
There was also a report of graffiti on 701 Willis Street of “420″ spray-painted on a retaining wall.
The department did receive an admission statement from a juvenile along with leads for the mailbox damages.
