Friday, October 9, 2026
The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office reports that on October 7, 2026, at approximately 4:07pm, their office received a report of a motorcycle accident on Great River Road, approximately six miles south of Little Falls in Swan River Township. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 43-year-old Paul Posch of Little Falls was operating a motorcycle southbound on Great River Road when he entered a curve at a speed too fast to safely negotiate it. The motorcycle entered the ditch, causing Posch to be thrown from the motorcycle. Posch was transported to St. Gabriel’s Hospital with unknown injuries. Posch was not wearing a helmet.
A press conference was held Wednesday to update the public on the ongoing investigation into the shooting death of 17-year-old Dylon Ray Oothoudt of Walker. The incident occurred in rural Cass Lake on September 13th. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, other investigators, and Dylon’s family are going to the public to seek assistance as no leads have been given on the case. They are asking if any had outdoor cameras in the area around rural Cass Lake that may have noticed vehicles or items in the area on September 12th or 13th around the area where his body was located and asking if anyone who knew Dylon may have been in the area around the same time. Anyone with information on this incident is urged to contact the Cass County Sheriff’s Office at 218-547-1424 or 800-450-2677. You can also contact the Crime Stoppers of Minnesota Hotline at 800- 222-8477 or submit a tip online at www.crimestoppersmn.org(opens in new tab). Tips can be anonymous.
A Stearns County fire destroyed a barn in Holdingford on Tuesday. The sheriff's office responded to a report of a fire at 19304 430th Street at around 2pm. The Holdingford Fire Department responded to the scene and requested mutual aid from the Albany Fire Department. Firefighters from both departments worked to put out the fire, but the flames eventually engulfed the barn, causing it to collapse. There is no damage estimate or any information on the property inside the barn. Authorities say the cause is unknown but suspect it could be due to an electrical issue.
A woman was killed in a crash in Wright County. The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened at about 10:45am on Thursday in Buffalo. A car driven by 96-year-old Floyd Sawatzke of Maple Lake was turning left to go into the Walmart parking lot from northbound Highway 25, and a Ford Bus was driving southbound on Highway 25 when the vehicles collided at the intersection. A passenger in Sawatske's car, 91-year-old Laura Hoffman of Buffalo, died in the crash. Sawatzke was taken to Buffalo Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The other driver 29-year-old Kortnie Rhoads of Big Lake, was not hurt.
The Stearns County Sheriff's Office has released more information about the hours-long standoff in St. Joseph. The incident began at about 6:20 p.m. on Wednesday when they received a 911 call from a home in the 9300 block of County Road 138 in St. Joseph Township. The caller said a man known to them had broken into their home and was armed with an axe. The suspect was identified as 39-year-old Ernest Gerdes of St. Joseph. Deputies and St. Joseph Police Officers responded to the caller's home and also the suspect's home at 400 1st Street in St. Joseph. Gerdes was spotted inside his home still in possession of the axe. The Stearns-Benton SWAT team was activated at about 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday. At about 6:40 a.m. on Thursday, members of the St. Cloud SWAT team breached the home and arrested Gerdes. He was treated for minor injuries and transported to St. Cloud Hospital for further evaluation. He was later taken to Stearns County Jail. He's facing charges of 1st Degree Burglary, 2nd Degree Assault, Threats of Violence, and Criminal Damage to Property. Gerdes is the subject of an Extreme Risk Protection Order that was granted on September 14th of this year and is valid for one year
Two people were hurt in a crash in St. Cloud. The State Patrol said around 6:30am Thursday the accident happened on Highway 23 in Benton County. A vehicle was turning westbound onto Highway 23 from Edgemont Drive while a second vehicle was driving eastbound on Highway 23 when they collided in the intersection. Sixty-year-old Bradley Yde of St. Cloud and 25-year-old Alexandra Wuebkers of St. Cloud were both taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The man who ran from Meeker County deputies twice and disappeared into a cornfield near Dassel is now in custody. Steven Oachs was arrested in Carver County on Tuesday on outstanding warrants from Hennepin and Wright counties. He is also facing possible charges tied to Sunday’s incident in Dassel. Court records show Oachs was sentenced in March to 10 days in jail for violating his probation on a fifth-degree drug possession conviction. He was put back on probation under his previous terms.
Weekend events include Darling Cemetery Cleanup Day is Saturday at 9am bring your own tools, the Heartland Symphony Orchestra concert Where We Were 7:30pm Saturday at Charles D. Martin Auditorium in Little Falls and Sunday at 2:30pm at the Gichi-zibbi Center for the Arts in Brainerd, they are free. 51st Annual Meatball Supper is 4:30-7pm at Saint John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Grey Eagle. The Bowlus American Legion has their pork chop dinner at 11am on Sunday for $16 with the proceeds going to help local Veterans through the Bowlus Legion and Auxiliary. Details on events at fallsradio.com.
Weather: sunny skies today, high near 70. Increasing clouds tonight low 57. Sunny breezy and very warm Saturday, high 85, winds gusting to 35mph. Clear and windy Saturday night and mild, low 64. Sunday sunny and warm, high near 80 but less windy, then increasing clouds Sunday night low near 60. Cloudy skies Monday rain develops during the day, high near 63 early then falling into the 50s by afternoon, Rain likely Monday night low around 43. Partly sunny Tuesday, high near 58, clear Tuesday night low near 32. Wednesday sunny skies, rain develops in afternoon, high near 60, low near 40. Rain likely Thursday high near 55, low around 38.
Sports: High School Football today, the Pierz at St. Cloud Apollo is NOW at 4:30pm on 94ROCKS. Little Falls at Albany at 7pm on AM960 KLTF. Osakis at Royalton for homecoming at 7pm, Upsala-Swanville at Maple Lake 7pm, Pillager at Perham at 6pm, Holdingford at Melrose 7pm, Barnesville at Staples-Motley and Foley at Milaca at 7pm. Cleveland beat the White Sox 9-5 last night to make a game 5 for the ALDS series Saturday where the winner advances to take on Tampa Bay in ALCS. College Football Gophers at Purdue Saturday 7pm. Tampa Bay beat Dallas 24-16 last night in the NFL. NFL Vikings at New Orleans at noon Sunday, there will be a triple header of NFL action Sunday on KLTF first game is Chicago and Green Bay with updates on the Vikings game. Tampa Bay beat the Wild 3-2 last night. Wild at Florida Saturday at 4:45pm on Q92 WYRQ and fallsradio.com.