News: Thursday, February 20th, 2025

--A man is dead, and a 21-year-old Sartell woman is in jail after a crash Sunday night. According to the criminal complaint, St. Cloud police were called to a vehicle versus pedestrian crash just south of Division Street and Highway 15. When they arrived, they found the man lying in the southbound lanes of Highway 15. He was struggling to breathe and couldn’t communicate. He was rushed to CentraCare – St. Cloud Hospital, where he died. Witnesses told investigators the man was hit by a car going south after the vehicle had gone through the intersection, and the driver just kept going. One woman said she was waiting in a vehicle at the intersection and saw the victim cross the southbound lanes on Highway 15, where there was no crosswalk, and also saw the driver cross 23 and hit the man. Police say Cadee Campbell called dispatch and told them she was the driver of the vehicle. When officers went to her apartment, she told them she was going approximately 55 miles an hour and saw the man only when he was near her passenger side headlight. She added that she knew she hit someone but didn’t want to get out of her car with her child inside. The investigation is ongoing. For now, Campbell is charged with failing to stop for a crash causing injury or death.

--On February 13th, 2025, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Wright County Sheriff’s Office in the apprehension of an individual wanted in connection with a home-invasion burglary. At about 1:30 pm on February 13th, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office received a request from the Wright County Sheriff’s Office to locate an adult male accused of participating in a home invasion burglary during which the homeowner was assaulted by the suspects. Deputies were asked to locate and arrest Ethan J Weckman, age 19 of Oak Park. Deputies responded to Weckman’s residence in Oak Park on Ironwood Rd. The first deputy in the area observed Weckman and two women standing outside the residence. Upon seeing the deputy, Weckman fled inside the residence. Responding deputies secured the perimeter of the residence and attempted to contact Weckman for several hours. Weckman refused all law enforcement attempts to establish contact. Under the authority of a search warrant, deputies entered the home and located Weckman hiding inside. Weckman was arrested without incident and delivered to Wright County deputies. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in this incident by the Stearns-Benton SWAT team, the Foley Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol, and the Wright County Sheriff’s Office.

--The suspect accused of shooting at officers during a standoff in Paynesville Township Saturday has been charged. According to the criminal complaint, the woman told police that Nicholas Kaufenberg came into her bedroom angry, called her names, and knocked over a dresser. Then around 1:45 a.m., sent her a text message saying his life would be better without her in it, which she took to mean he was going to possibly kill her. Then later that morning he was yelling and pounding on the bedroom door trying to get in, and it riled up their dogs. As she went to let them out, Kaufenberg grabbed her, pushed her up against a wall, and started yelling and calling her names. She finally had enough and grabbed his sweatshirt, throwing him to the ground. She ran out and called police. Court documents say officers went to the house to arrest Kaufenberg, but he refused to come outside and threatened the deputies if they came inside. While they were talking, Kaufenberg said the woman was lying and called her crazy. He also said he had several guns and was willing to use them. The Benton-Stearns SWAT team was called out just before 2:00 p.m., and when they arrived, they tried to convince the man to surrender. After more than five hours of back and forth and turning off the power to the house, Kaufenberg is accused of becoming more agitated. SWAT members inside special vehicles deployed gas into the home to get him to come out, while also using the vehicle to gain entry to the home. That’s when court papers say officers saw muzzle flashes and heard what they thought to be gunshots. As they retreated, a deputy inside the vehicle said he had been hit in the face. Another said he saw a muzzle flash and felt something hit him in the safety glasses, which pushed them into his nose. He said he also heard “projectiles going over his head.” Upon further inspection, a pellet sized divot was found in the deputy’s glasses. The criminal complaint says no officers ever returned fire and Kaufenberg came out of the house without further incident. A search warrant of the house allegedly turned up several loaded guns including a rifle and a single shot shotgun, a Mossberg 12 gauge pump shotgun propped against the doorway outside of the bedroom where the shots came from.  While on the way to jail, the criminal complaint says Kaufenberg told deputies he was just shooting and not shooting at police. He said police broke into his house, which prompted him to shoot. Kaufenberg is charged with two counts of misdemeanor domestic assault and six counts of first degree assault – use of deadly force against a police officer.

--The Lakes Area Drug Investigative Division, along with the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office, executed a search warrant at a residence on the 1600 block of Oak Street in Brainerd at approximately 9:08am on Wednesday morning. The Brainerd police in a statement said "We understand that a visible police presence in a residential area, especially near a school, can be concerning. This release is to inform the public about the nature of the activity and to assure residents and the school community that there are no safety concerns related to this incident". There is no word if an arrest was made from the search warrant only that this is an active investigation.

--The man who was killed in a weekend apartment fire has been identified. The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man who was killed in Sunday night’s fire on Wednesday as 68-year-old David Henrichs of Wadena, the Wadena County Sheriff’s Office said. While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, the sheriff’s office said that foul play is not suspected in Henrich’s death. In addition to Henrich’s death, the fire displaced a dozen others who had been living in the apartment. At the request of Wadena County Sheriff Michael D. Carr, on Tuesday, Gov. Tim Walz issued an executive order authorizing the National Guard to provide temporary shelter for the displaced.

--The Morrison and Benton Soil and Water Conservation Districts are hosting a Winter Agronomy Meeting "Managing for the Future" event on Thursday, February 27th at the Royalton American Legion from 9am to 2pm. Topics will discuss many of the weather challenges that farmers meet, how to show their resiliency, what tools and skills can help farmers, how to sustain an operation and ways to plan your farm family for the future. Everyone is invited, the event is free of charge but RSVP is required as their is a complementary lunch provided and they need a head count of the free food. To RSVP go the Eventbrite website on their event or contact Kolby Hansen 320-733-3045. 

--Bob Maschler wanted to thank everyone who bought raffle tickets for the St. James Raffle on February 28th they are all SOLD OUT. Winners will be announced on February 28th at the Mardi Gras dinner at St. James in Randall. For dinner tickets call the church or Bob at 320-630-5546. 

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS- Michael and Hailey Vogl of Little Falls, had a baby girl and also Dylan and Taylor Kummet of Rice had a baby girl, both babies were born on February 17th. 

WEATHER- today cloudy skies early then clearing, high 16, clear skies tonight colder, low -11, sunny skies Friday high near 20, low near 6 above, Saturday partly sunny and warmer high 34, low around 17, Sunday sunny and warm high near 40, rain/snow mix overnight low around 31. 

SPORTS high school boys basketball tonight, Foley at Pierz at 7pm on 94ROCKS KFML and fallsradio.com. Remember to get your recap of the week on high school sports on the Saturday Morning Sports Wrap Saturday at 9:05am on AM960 KLTF and fallsradio.com.