Police are investigating an armed robbery of a Stillwater hotel on Sunday night.

The clerk of the Lexington In and Suites, 2000 Washington Ave., called police to report a robbery had occurred at 11:40 p.m. Sunday night, police said.

A man — described to police as a white male in his 40s — produced a semiautomatic handgun and requested money from the hotel clerk. He was given the money and fled on foot, police said.

“The man had possibly been loitering in the hotel lobby since 7 p.m. on Sunday,” said Sgt. Jeff Stender of the Stillwater Police Department. “The clerk told him to either rent a room or leave, and he left the building. He returned around 11:40 p.m. to then commit the robbery.”

The man, thought to be about 6 feet tall and weigh about 180 pounds, was wearing a grey sweatshirt, had long sandy hair, and “a couple days growth of facial hair.” He was described by the clerk as “gangly and rough looking.”

Police did not have a suspect as of April 29. Anyone with information is asked to call the Stillwater Police Department TIPS line at 651-351-4945.

Contact Alicia Lebens at alicia.lebens@ecm-inc.com

One person is dead after a house fire in Lakeland Saturday, May 3.

At approximately 1:52 a.m. the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 1200 block of Rivercrest Road in Lakeland on a reported house fire. The fire was extinguished by members of the Lower St. Croix Valley Fire Department, Bayport Fire Department and Hudson Fire Department.

Crews found a deceased individual inside the residence. Authorities were not identifying the victim pending notification of next of kin.

The state fire marshall and Washington County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the cause of the fire. The sheriff’s office said no further information will be released until Monday, May 5. 

A longtime St. Croix Orthopaedics employee has been charged with felony possession of prescription drugs after allegedly calling in and filling fraudulent prescriptions at the Walmart pharmacy in Oak Park Heights.

Jennifer Marie Bowers, 40, of Somerset, Wis., faces one count of third-degree possession of 50 or more doses of a narcotic mixture. If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The human resources department at St. Croix Orthopaedics would not confirm whether or not Bowers still works for the company and declined to comment on the charges.

According to the criminal complaint, a pharmacist at Walmart reported the alleged prescription forgeries to Oak Park Heights police in January.

An investigator determined that 11 fraudulent prescriptions had been called in, between Oct. 23 and Dec. 24 last year. Each prescription in questions was for 60 hydrocodone tablets and 60 acetaminophen tablets.

Police obtained video footage of a person identified as Bowers picking up the prescriptions on eight occasions.

Investigators learned that Bowers was both an employee and a patient at St. Croix Orthopaedics, and that she had surgery there. A doctor at the clinic had called in a legitimate prescription for 60 hydrocodone tablets and 60 acetaminophen tablets Oct. 7, 2013. According to the complaint, the other prescriptions called in for Bowers falsely alleged that the same doctor issued them.

When police met with the human resources director at St. Croix Orthopaedics, they learned Bowers had worked for the business more than 10 years and served as a patient services representative, setting schedules and making appointments. The director told police that Bowers had been working on the days the alleged fraudulent prescriptions were called in. Human resources records also identified Bowers as the individual obtaining the prescription from Walmart, the complaint says.

Bowers first court appearance is 9 a.m. Thursday, May 8.

Contact Jonathan Young at jonathan.young@ecm-inc.com

The Washington County Sheriff’s Officehas identified the victim woman found dead after a May 3 house fire in Lakeland as 50-year-old Nicole Ann Ritzer.

At approximately 1:52 a.m. May 3, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 1200 block of Rivercrest Road in Lakeland on a reported house fire. The fire was extinguished by members of the Lower St. Croix Valley Fire Department, Bayport Fire Department and Hudson Fire Department. Firefighters found Ritzer dead inside the residence.

The state fire marshal and Washington County Sheriff’s Office were investigating the cause of the fire. The fire marshal said the cause was undetermined. Authorities have not yet released the cause of death but said they did not suspect foul play.

Contact Jonathan Young at jonathan.young@ecm-inc.com

A high speed chase through downtown Stillwater April 27 led to charges against a Baytown Township man.

Nathan Eldredge, 23, of Baytown Township faces one county of fleeing a peace officer, a felony.

On April 27 at approximately 2:51 a.m., an officer with the Stillwater Police Department was on routine patrol when he observed a vehicle at the intersection of Nelson Street and Main Street, Stillwater. The driver was not wearing a seatbelt and also failed to signal a turn from Nelson Street onto Water Street. When the officer activated his emergency lights to begin a traffic stop, the vehicle began to rapidly speed up. The officer then activated his siren and pursued the vehicle.

The officer was advised by dispatch that the registered owner of the vehicle had a felony warrant for terroristic threats. The driver attempted to evade law enforcement by crossing the lift bridge into Wisconsin. When driving over the Stillwater Lift Bridge, the vehicle reached 85 miles per hour.

Officers continued to attempt to stop the vehicle in Wisconsin. At times the vehicle reached approximately 100 miles per hour, and the driver turned off his headlights and taillights in attempt to elude law enforcement.

When the vehicle exited Highway 64 at Exit 9 in Wisconsin, the driver drove off the top of the exit ramp down a grass embankment and became stuck. Officers were able to secure the driver, who was identified as Eldredge, the registered owner of the vehicle.

St. Croix County sheriff’s deputies also arrived and took the Eldredge into custody. Eldredge’s first appearance in Washington County Court was April 30.

Woman charged with felony after alleged Kohl’s theft attempt

A Stillwater resident faces felony charges in connection with an alleged theft at the Kohl’s Department Store in Oak Park Heights.

Paulette Schreifels, 37, of Stillwater, is charged with one count of felony possession of shoplifting gear and one count of misdemeanor theft.

On April 17, at 12:57 p.m. officers were dispatched to Kohl’s on the report of a theft in progress. According to the criminal complaint, an employee of Kohl’s reported that he had watched a female enter the dressing room and remain there for 30 minutes. When the female left the dressing room, her purse was noticeably bulkier. The female ultimately paid for a number of other items, but not the items that appeared to be in her purse.

A check of the dressing room revealed several security tags and jewelry tags had been left behind. As the female walked toward the entrance, she was stopped and questioned by the employee and the officer. The female was identified as Schreifels.

Schreifels was escorted into the loss prevention office, where she apologized and said that she didn’t meant to steal, and kept requesting that she be able to pay for the items she stole, the complaint says. Police searched  her purse and found several items of jewelry and clothing that belonged to Kohl’s and had not been paid for. The total value of the items was $501.99.

Officers also found an object that looked similar to a pliers, the complaint says. The object still had gray plastic shavings in it that appeared to have come from cutting security tags.

The defendant told police she used the device to clip her acrylic nails, but further review of the stolen items in the defendant’s purse confirmed that at least one pair of underwear had a tear in it where the security tag would have been. A matching broken security tag was found in the dressing room where the defendant had spent 30 minutes concealing the items, the complaint says.

Woman faces felony drug charges

An Oak Park Heights woman faces felony charges in connection with an incident in Oak Park Heights last year.

Angela Capocasa, 43, appeared in Washington County court on April 24, in response to a charge of felony possession of a controlled substance, and a charge of misdemeaner driving under the influence of a controlled substance.

On Sept. 8, 2013, officers were dispatched to the area of Osgood Avenue North, Oak Park Heights, on the report of a driving complaint. Dispatch had received two anonymous complaints about a maroon Chevy Malibu that was described as swerving all over the road. One of the complainants followed the vehicle as it turned onto 56th Street, then onto Osman Avenue and 57th Street. As Officer Zwach approached the location, a witness flagged him down.

According to the criminal complaint, the suspect vehicle was parked in front of 14870 57th St., Oak Park Heights. There were two passengers in the vehicle. The male passenger was passed out or sleeping. The driver’s side door was slightly open, and the sprinklers of the town home complex were spraying into the vehicle. The driver, identified as Capocasa, remained seated in the driver’s seat and was getting soaked by the sprinklers, but seemed unaffected, accordingto the complaint.

Capocasa was asked to get out of the vehicle. As she did so, officers noted that she seemed lethargic, had slurred speech and had a difficult time walking and was unsteady on her feet. Several field sobriety tests were conducted on the defendant for which several clues of impairment were noted.

Although Capocasa had a blood alcohol level of 0.000, Capocasa did submit to a urine test that returned a positive result for the presence of hydrocodone and clonazepam, the complaint says. The complaint also says Capocasa admitted that she had taken hydrocodone, clonazepam, Abilify and other antidepressant and pain medications. The defendant was searched, and in her pocket officers recovered three hydrocodone pills wrapped in a plastic wrapper, the complaint says.

Capocasa told officers that the passenger had a prescription for hydrocodone and that she had taken the three pills from him. Located in the defendant’s purse was the passenger’s prescription for clonazepam that was filled on Sept. 7, 2013 for 60 pills, but no pills remained in the bottle.

A 41-year-old man was given 180 days in jail after he failed to register as a predatory offender while living in Stillwater.

Phillip Michael Vega was sentenced in Washington County Court to 180 days in jail and five years probation on May 8, following his arrest in Stillwater on Oct. 15, 2013, for not registering his status as a predatory offender.

According to court records, Vega was convicted of third-degree criminal sexual conduct in Ramsey County Court in 1994.

On October 1, 2013, Stillwater police received information that an individual identified as Philip Vega was living at 1309 S. Greeley St. No. 1. Vega is required to register with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) as a predatory offender due to a prior designated conviction. The BCA showed Vega’s primary address as 52 George St. W., St. Paul. The Stillwater address was not listed on Vega’s registration paperwork.

The investigation revealed that Vega had been employed at Nacho Mama’s in Stillwater and that he provided 1309 S. Greeley Street No. 1 as his address on paperwork at the restaurant. Staff reported that Vega was living with his girlfriend in Stillwater, and that he was recently fired and a police report was filed at the time of the incident. It was reported that Vega drove a blue Pontiac Grand Prix with Minnesota license plates, and the vehicle was observed parked at 1309 S. Greeley St. on multiple occasions Oct. 1 and Oct. 15.

A search warrant was executed at address the morning of Oct. 15, and Vega was in a bedroom in the apartment.

According to the complaint, when officers stated, “Vega, show us your hands,” Vega replied, “Vega, Who’s Vega?”

When asked if he was trying to say he was not Phillip Vega, he stated, “I’m not saying that.”

Vega argued that he should not have to register and that he had no idea why he had to register. Police described him as as irate and screaming at officers.

While being led out of the apartment, the complaint says, Vega told his girlfriend, “You tell them that I don’t live here, remember that, remember to tell them that I don’t live here.”

Vega denied living at the residence and stated that he only slept there the night before.

Officers located Comcast bills for July, August and September addressed to Vega at 1309 S. Greeley St. Male clothing believed to belong to Vega was located in the closet in the bedroom where he was sleeping. In a box in the closet, on the same side of the closet where the man’s clothing was hanging, officers found letters, documents and other paperwork in Vega’s name. His wallet was located on the dresser in the bedroom.

Man convicted of bathroom robbery

A 19-year-old Fridley man received jail time after being a part of robbery in a Stillwater public bathroom last year.

Matthew James Klinefelter was sentenced to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine on May 7. On Aug. 29, 2013, at approximately 5:19 p.m., Stillwater police officers were dispatched to the area of 650 Main St. N., Stillwater after a report of a fight between two groups of people. Upon arrival, Sgt. Jeff Stender was directed to a group of five people who had been involved in the altercation. Two of the individuals, identified as minors, were injured. One minor had an injury to the right side of his forehead, but indicated that he didn’t know who had struck him or whether he had been struck with an object. The other reported he had been struck in the head with a gun.

The minor explained that he had entered the public bathrooms located in the 200 block of North Main Street. While in the bathroom, at least two men entered. They were later identified as Klinefelter and a 17-year-old minor.

According to the criminal complaint, one of the men, identified as the minor suspect, struck one of the victims on the head with a gun. The victim believed the gun to be an air soft pistol because it had broken. The minor suspect yelled at the victim to get on the ground, stating “this is a robbery” and “give me your wallet.”

A witness heard the statements and tried to enter the bathroom. A third man, later identified as a 17-year-old minor, was acting as a lookout and was outside the bathroom door, the complaint said. The witness told police that the lookout pulled a black semi-automatic handgun from his waistband, pointed it at her and told her to get the victim out of the bathroom or he would kill her. The victim stated that he began to struggle with the first minor suspect, but stopped when he saw lookout had a handgun pointed at the witness.

Klinefelter and the two minor suspects then fled the area. The victim’s friends who had been waiting for him outside the bathroom pursued the fleeing suspects. Another altercation occurred a few block away, where one of the pursuer was struck.

Officers located Klinefelter in a vehicle parked a short distance away.

The victim identified Klinefelter as one of the individuals involved in the robbery in the bathroom but said he was not the individual who had struck him.

Klinefelter declined to give a statement to the police. The other two minor suspects were arrested but were not included in Klinefelter’s sentencing.

A 60-year-old Stillwater man, Frank Saice, faces felony charges after allegedly making terroristic threats to a neighbor.

On May 13 at 4:28 p.m. law enforcement was dispatched to the 100 block of Martha Street South in Stillwater on a complaint of a disorderly neighbor. Upon arriving, officers observed two adults, Saice and the complainant, in a front yard near a recreational fire. Officers advised Saice that they received a report from a neighbor that he was being disorderly. Saice became agitated and argumentative with law enforcement, and officers observed that Saice appeared to have been consuming alcohol.

Officers also spoke with the neighbor, who indicated that Saice often yells and uses profanity and inappropriate language, which causes her concern, because a child who lives at the residence with her.

Law enforcement cleared the scene and at 5:02 p.m. were called back to the location by the neighbor, who was reporting that she observed Saice in the street between their homes carrying a large piece of wood. The neighbor stated that Saice was pacing in front of her home, and at one point walked onto her driveway and was yelling, “I’ll kill you. I dare you to call the police. I’ll kill the cops if they show up.”

Law enforcement made contact again with Saice, who was seated in a chair in his front yard. Officers asked Saice if he had any contact with his neighbor since law enforcement left, and Saice denied having any contact with her. Officers asked Saice if he made any type of threatening comments to his neighbor, and Saice responded, “What, like I was going to kill her?”

Saice was placed under arrest and transported to the Washington County Jail.

Inmate charged after argument over sweatshirt

A 52-year-old man has been charged with third-degree assault after an argument over a sweatshirt while he was an inmate at the Stillwater Correctional Facility in Bayport.

According to the criminal complaint, on March 3 the suspect, Charles Bathel, was observed to grab another inmate and start throwing closed fist punches to the inmates’s head. A correctional officer activated the Incident Command System and proceed to where Bathel was located on the second floor gallery. Upon arriving, officers observed the inmate lying on the ground and appearing to bleed from the facial area.

Investigators reviewed the video footage of the altercation and observed Bathel and the inmate exit cell 232 on the second tier. They appeared to be engaged in a verbal argument and pointing fingers at each other while arguing. In the video, the complaint says, Bathel strikes the inmate in the facial area with a closed fist, then attempts to throw the inmate over the tier railing, but the inmate was able to wrap his arms around a post, preventing him from being thrown over. Investigators say Bathel is then observed striking the inmate six more times in the facial area and kicking the inmate in the groin. At no time does the inmate fight back, the complaint says.

The victim was treated for his injuries related to the assault, and an X-ray revealed a fractured nasal bone. The inmate also received a small laceration on the left side of his nose, as well as scrapes and contusions on his neck.

In a Miranda statement, investigators say Bathel admitted to assaulting the inmate. The inmate also provided a statement and indicated that he and Bathel were having a verbal argument over a sweatshirt when Bathel assaulted him.

Bathel is serving 31 years for second degree murder. On March 5 he was committed to the Minnesota Sexual Psychopathic Personality Treatment Center in Moose Lake as a sexually dangerous person.

Alton

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing 75-year-old man from the city of Grant.

Clifford Lee Alton, 75, was last seen around 8 a.m. Wednesday, May 28. He was wearing blue jeans, a gray T-shirt and possibly had a navy sweatshirt.

The sheriff’s office says he is driving a 2004 Ford Freestar van described as sky blue in color with silver on the bottom.

According to the sheriff’s office, Alton has dementia and is disoriented. Anyone who sees him is asked to call 911.

*This article was updated to reflect new information from the sheriff’s office about the missing man’s name.

This van looks similar to the one Alton is thought to be driving.

The Lake Elmo Fire Department will reach new heights next year after the arrival of its new 78-foot ladder truck. The city council unanimously approved the purchase of the aerial fire truck from Rosenbauer Minnesota, LLC. for $684.441, with $28,486.49 for equipment, for a total of $712,927.49.

The purchase replaces the department’s 34-year-old, 35-foot ladder truck, one of the oldest in the metro area.

“Some the parts would need to be handmade if something broke on the truck, because they are not being made anymore.” Fire Chief Greg Malmquist said. “That’s how old it is.”

According to Malmquist, the purchase is a safety necessity, and the new equipment will help with recruiting new firefighters.

“You want to be at a station that has newer and safer equipment,” Malmquist said.

Councilmember Anne Smith said she has been behind the fire department since her time on the council began.

“About five years ago, we had the option of buying two trucks for $1 million, and it is a shame that we let it pass and are know having to pay more for one truck (than we would have),” Smith said.

Smith also said that the longer ladder will be able to help with fires on homes higher than two stories.

“I know of a few fires we have had that would have benefited from a longer ladder,” Smith said. “People want to live in a town where they feel safe.”

The council and the fire truck committee worked to find the most cost efficient way of purchasing the truck, but in the end it was a cost that all viewed is necessary.

To pay for the fire truck, the city will issue a 10-year bond levy with an expected contribution of $25 per taxpayer per year. The fire department expects delivery of the truck in January 2015.

Contact Alicia Lebens at alicia.lebens@ecm-inc.com

THE GAZETTE

A 19-year-old Somerset man will spend 120 days in jail and five years on probation for felony theft of $1,043 worth of jeans from a downtown Stillwater clothing store.

According to the criminal complaint, Adam Wylie, then 18, and another minor individual entered the Boutique Collaborations, 129 Main St. S., Stillwater, on Feb. 1, 2013, and were later identified on store surveillance to have taken approximately $800 worth of designer jeans without paying. The store owner reported that a similar incident occurred on Jan. 29, 2013, when a group of four individuals, including Wylie, had entered the store and taken a number of items without paying for them.

Investigators interviewed Wylie, and he admitted to taking a number of pairs of jeans from Boutique Collaborations without paying. The store owner confirmed for police that on Jan. 29, 2013, Wylie had taken two pairs of “Miss Me” jeans valued at $99 each, for a total of $198. On Feb. 1, 2013, Wylie again entered the store an took eight pairs of “Miss Me” jeans, valued at $118 per pair, for a total value of $944. The total loss to the store was $1,043.

As part of his sentence, Wylie was fined $50 and  required to pay $1,142 in restitution to the boutique owner.

A 60-year-old Stacy man was sentenced to one year in the Washington County Jail and 15 years of probation after committing a crime he called “the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.”

Joseph William Bigbear convicted in Washington County Court of felony first-degree drug possession. The charge carried a potential maximum sentence of 30 years in jail and a $1,000,000 fine.

On July 3, 2013, at 12:27 p.m., Detective Karnes of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was in the parking lot of Minnesota Correctional Facility – Oak Park Heights. Karnes noticed a silver Mercury Grand Marquis bearing Minnesota license plate entered the parking lot and parked. A registration check of the vehicle revealed the registered owner to be Bigbear, who had a suspended driver’s license. Karnes approached the vehicle and identified the driver as Bigbear, who was then taken into custody.

A search of the defendant revealed two baggies of cocaine with a combined total package weight of 74.9 grams. As Bigbear was being handcuffed, he commented “that was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.” He declined to give a formal statement to investigators.

Bayport woman charged with terroristic threats

A 61-year-old Bayport, Diane Hamilton, woman faces felony charges of making terroristic threats to a person visiting her home. Hamilton, who lives on the 200 block of Maine Street North in Bayport, allegedly threatened others in the residence with a knife.

Police officers were dispatched to a disturbance on Feb. 23 at about 9:39 p.m., and observed the residence in disarray with two knives on the floor of the kitchen. Officers located Hamilton in the bedroom next to the kitchen, and she told them another person in the residence had poked her in the eye and struck her. When pressed for details of the incident, police say, Hamilton became belligerent and struggled with the officers and appeared to be intoxicated. A female witness reported to police that Hamilton had been drinking and ranting about family matters.

When asked to stop, Hamilton allegedly grabbed the hair of the witness. When asked to let go, Hamilton allegedly knocked the female witness to the ground, put her foot on the woman’s throat and threatened to kill her. Hamilton then released the female witness, and headed to the kitchen, police reports say.

A male witness told investigators he followed Hamilton to the kitchen, where he allegedly saw her with two knives in her hands. He told police that Hamilton stated she was going to kill the female witness.

Hamilton allegedly slashed at the man with the knife and lightly scratched his arm. The male witness had visible injuries to his mouth and throat from the incident.

Hamilton appeared in court on May 28, where she was issued an order of no contact with the victims. Her next appearance in court will be June 12. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in jail and a fine of $10,000.

Benjamin Beck

A 39-year-old inmate at the Oak Park Heights maximum-security prison charged with strangling a fellow inmate to death made his first court appearance June 12, according Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

Benjamin Heath Beck faces second-degree murder charges for allegedly killing Shane Lawrence Cooper, 30, on Dec. 2. If convicted, Beck faces a penalty of up to 40 years in prison, in addition to the 57 month sentence he is currently serving.

According to authorities, Cooper was found dead on the floor of his cell around 4:50 p.m. Dec. 2 with a ligature around his neck. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner identified the cause of death as homicide by strangulation.

A surveillance camera recorded another inmate, Beck, entering Cooper’s cell shortly before Cooper was found dead, according to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Agents from the bureau had found a shoelace and Beck’s identification badge in the cell assigned to Cooper. Agents interviewed Beck and searched his cell, finding one shoe without a shoelace.

During the interview, Beck stated that “he did have an effect on the outcome” of the victim, according the criminal complaint. Beck was identified as the only suspect.

Beck was convicted of first-degree aggravated robbery and first-degree burglary while possessing a dangerous weapon in 2006.

Cooper was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a child under the age of 13 in 2012.

According to the criminal complaint, Beck stated that when Cooper initially arrived at the Oak Park Heights facility they developed a relationship in which Beck was Cooper’s “protector.”

Beck told agents he originally did not know what Cooper had been incarcerated for. When he discovered the nature of Cooper’s conviction, he told agents that he could not longer be the protector to someone who had committed that type of crime, and that Cooper had not given him a way out.

According to the complaint, Beck stated that he was in his right mind when he committed the act, and that it was a choice he had made without other inmates having prior knowledge of his actions.

Beck’s next scheduled appearance is an omnibus hearing before Judge John McBride in Washington County Court on Aug. 14, with a jury trial scheduled to start Nov. 10. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Washington County Attorney Thomas D. Wedes.

Contact Alicia Lebens at alicia.lebens@ecm-inc.com

A then 18-year-old Stillwater man pleaded guilty on June 5 to felony first degree damage to property following an Oct. 27, 2013, incident that resulted in $1,353.53 in vehicle damage. Daniel Blake Burridge, now 19, received one year of probation, 30 hours of community service, and was required to pay restitution.

Officers were dispatched to the Lumberyard Hockey Arena, 1650 Washington Ave., Stillwater, after a report of damage to a vehicle in the parking lot. The complainant, a minor, reported that he was playing three-on-three hockey for a Mahtomedi team against a team from Stillwater. During the hockey game a member of the Stillwater team, later identified as Burridge, punched the complainant in the face mask several times, and the referee kicked Burridge out of the game. The complainant reported that as he was leaving the arena, Burridge was waiting outside the building and punched him with a closed fist again. The referee intervened again, and separated them.

As the victim and a friend walked to his vehicle, Burridge and several other individuals followed. According to the criminal complaint, as the victim backed out of the parking space, Burridge kicked the passenger door and struck the passenger window with his fist. Officers observed a dent and a partial shoe print on the car door.

Burridge had failed to appear for his initial court appearance on Jan. 15, 2014, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. The warrant was later quashed, and he appeared in court Feb. 19. Sentencing occurred on June 5, where he could have faced the maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and $10,000.

Contact Alicia Lebens at alicia.lebens@ecm-inc.com

Baseball bat pulled in road rage incident

An incident of road rage escalated when a man produced a baseball bat on eastbound Highway 36 at 9 a.m. June 24.

Stillwater Police were dispatched to a report of verbal altercation witnessed by an off-duty airport police officer.

The off-duty officer observed on eastbound Highway 36 a gray Toyota Prius cut off a semi truck when the street merged from a two-lane to one-lane roadway. The semi truck driver jerked the truck into the shoulder to avoid a collision, and the witness saw the drivers of the Prius and semi truck exit their vehicles to exchange words. The off-duty officer saw the Prius driver return to his vehicle to retrieve a black baseball bat.

The witness exited his vehicle, identified himself as a police officer, and ordered the Prius driver to return to his vehicle. The officer then followed the Prius driver, who later parked in the Washington County Courthouse parking lot. The off-duty officer again approached the driver, who appeared agitated.

The driver produced his driver’s license and informed the officer that he was an attorney and was late for court. He told the officer that he would go into the courthouse to check in and would then return. When the driver did not return to his vehicle, the officer left his business card on the car door and turned the driver’s license over to local police.

Stillwater police made contact with the driver of the Prius later, when he called to retrieve his driver’s license. The driver stated that the semi truck driver was not maintaining a speed and made it difficult to merge into traffic, and that he did not cut off the semi truck. The Prius driver said the driver of the semi truck had a baton or pipe, and that he had retrieved the bat for self-defense.

There were no injuries and no damage to property. The driver of the semi truck has not made contact with the Stillwater Police Department at this time, and the case has been labeled as inactive. There were no charges.

$7,000 of picket fencing stolen

Sections of white picket fencing were reported stolen from the Liberty on the Lake development in Stillwater June 24, with a total value at $7,040.

Stillwater Police received a report that 11 sections of white, wooden picket fencing had allegedly been stolen during the night of June 23 from a gravel lot near the tennis courts in the home development. The fencing was originally placed around Heritage Square and another park in the Liberty area and had been moved by a contractor.

The city’s public worked department had been questioned if they had moved the fencing, and they said they had not. The lawn care contractor also said it had not moved the fencing.

At this time, there are no suspects.

A South St. Paul man pleaded guilty to felony attempted theft of a motor vehicle in Washington County Court June 26. Jeremy Matthew Lindell, 30, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and an $85 fee.

Lindell was arrested on June 3, 2013, after the Stillwater Police Department was dispatched to 1987 Industrial Blvd. Stillwater, with a report of a possible stolen vehicle. The officer was informed that the suspect, later identified as Lindell, involved in the attempted theft was a male in a red hooded sweatshirt on foot walking away from the vehicle.

The officer arrived and found the vehicle. He then approached the vehicle and observed various tools inside, including wrenches and screwdrivers lying on the floor. He also observed that the ignition had been removed and had wires dangling from the steering column. The officer met with the complainant, who stated that he had watched the male suspect exit the vehicle, which was in a Cooper Motors lot.

The officer then drove along the east side of Cooper Motors but was flagged down again by the complainant who pointed out the suspect.

Lindell was placed under arrest and transported to the Washington County Jail. At that time, Lindell admitted he attempted to take the vehicle and start it using a screwdriver. He claims it was for someone else and that he did not know the vehicle was stolen but thought it might be. He indicated that the thought the vehicle would not start because the battery was dead.

Further investigation with the individuals at Cooper Motors found that multiple vehicles had damage. It appeared that someone had tried to break into them at the same time or shortly before law enforcement responded.

Lindell has 35 prior arrests, most of them warrants, and at least one escape from custody. Additionally, Lindell has multiple theft convictions out of Dakota County from March 2, 2004, a theft of motor vehicle conviction from April 11, 2006, and possession of burglary tools from April 11, 2006. The maximum possible sentence Lindell could have received was five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Brocks

An Oak Park Heights inmate was sentenced to an additional 98 months in prison on July 2 after he pleaded guilty to three felony counts — assault in the first degree, assault in the second degree, and assault in the fourth degree — after an incident in the prison kitchen.

Derrick Delmar Brocks, 40, was sentenced to a total of 98 months in prison consecutive to his current life sentence for his assaults on six correctional officers on Jan. 30, 2014.

According to the criminal complaint, Brocks became angered at a scheduling change that affected his recreational time at the prison. He engaged the lieutenant in a heated exchange about it and assaulted her, knocking out several teeth and causing permanent nerve damage. Other correctional officers came to her aid. Brocks continued his assault, causing one officer to suffer a severe knee injury, while three others received minor injuries prior to subduing Brocks.

Washington County Attorney Pete Orput served as prosecutor. “Correctional officers in our prison system have a difficult enough job without having to deal with such violence as exhibited here,” Orput said in a written statement. “My office will make certain that a message is sent that correctional officers deserve the same protection from the criminal justice system as any civilian on the street. That
message is also sent to those inmates who believe that their current sentence makes them immune from further punishment.”

Brocks is serving a life sentence at the Oak Park Heights facility following a 1997 conviction of first-degree murder. Sentencing was handed down by Washington County District Judge Richard Ilkka.

A 16-year-old male is suspected of launching a Roman candle in the direction of a Stillwater home July 4. When Stillwater police were called to the area regarding harassment via fireworks just before 10 p.m., they were informed on the way that the situation had escalated to a fight in the yard.

According to police reports, when officers arrived at the 400 block of Broadway Street South in Stillwater, a female escorted the officers to the back yard where a large gathering was surrounding a male restraining another male on the ground. The male who was restraining the other male identified himself as an off-duty Minnesota State Trooper. Stillwater Police then handcuffed the restrained male while assessing the situation.

Officers questioned the 16-year-old male, who stated that he was standing in the yard preparing to light a Roman candle when another firecracker lit and startled him. The then-lit Roman candle was knocked over when the 16-year-old male tripped, and accidentally went off toward a house across the street, the suspect told police. He said he didn’t intend to fire the fireworks toward the neighboring house.

After the Roman candle had gone off, the suspect said, another male approached him who identified himself as a police officer with a badge and was wearing a firearm in a hostler under his shirt. The teen said the police officer pulled him by the arm away from the area, grabbed his neck and threw him the to ground “for no reason,” and restrained his hands behind his back before Stillwater Police arrived.

One of the witnesses to the incident was the teenager’s stepfather, who did not see the fireworks incident but did see his stepson restrained on the ground.

Other witnesses said they saw the off-duty officer restrain the teenager in an aggressive manner. Officers spoke with witnesses and heard similar stories, that the fireworks incident was an accident and that they felt the off-duty officer’s actions were aggressive.

A male witness approached the Stillwater Police officers and said he believed excessive force was used.

The off-duty officer asked Stillwater Police to issue a disorderly conduct citation to the teenager for passively resisting him as he attempted to pull him away from the area. Stillwater Police determined not to do so, and forwarded the incident to the Stillwater city attorney for review.

As Stillwater Police walked back to their squad cars, they witnessed the off-duty officer on the phone with his supervisor regarding the incident. Police reports say the supervisor had asked the off-duty officer if he had grabbed the teenager by the neck, and he said that he did not believe he had.

Alcohol was not found to be involved.

A 36-year-old Stillwater man has been sentenced to 120 days in jail and 10 years probation after he pleaded guilty to felony third-degree drug possession.

Martin Stephen Tschida III was named by a confidential informant in April 2012 as a methamphetamine dealer living in Stillwater, and was witnessed selling more than 11 grams of methamphetamine in a drug bust.

On April 25, 2012, the informant contacted Tschida to arrange to purchase methamphetamine in exchange for money, and Tschida directed him to come to his home on the 100 block of Owens Street North, Stillwater. Before the purchase, officers searched the informant and provided him with an amount of documented buy-fund money.

While in the residence, a surveillance team overheard the informant speaking with a male who stated that he would sell the methamphetamine but needed the money up front. The informant provided Tschida with the buy-fund money and left. The informant stated that the male in the residence was Tschida. A short time later, Tschida was seen leaving his residence in a vehicle.

After a short period of time the informant, while in the presence of an officer, was contacted to meet in the back of Tschida’s residence to obtain the suspected methamphetamine. While en route, the informant was contacted and told that he was to be picked up outside of Tschida’s residence and the methamphetamine would be located at another place.

The informant drove to an abandoned building adjacent to Tschida’s residence. The informant obtained a package from the rear door and reentered the vehicle. Surveillance teams observed the transaction via audio. An officer then met with the informant, who provided him a package with the suspected methamphetamine.

The package tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine with a total weight of 11.46 grams. Tschida was sentenced June 26, 2014, and served time in jail from June 26 until July 11, 2014, when he given work release and required to return to jail for six weekends.

A missing Hudson man was found dead in the Red Cedar River, according to the St. Croix County Sheriff”s Office.

Joseph Albert Briske, 45, from the Hudson, Wis., area, left his residence in the early hours of Monday, July 14 without explanation. His car was located on I-94 east of Menomonie, Wis., around 7 a.m. on July 14 by Wisconsin State Patrol.

The St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office had asked for the public’s help in locating Briske. The sheriff’s office and the Menomonie Police Department will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Briske’s disappearance and death.