Monday, July 7, 2025

Two people are dead after a crash Wednesday night in St. Cloud. According to police, at around 11:45, an officer was driving south on 9th Avenue North when they saw a pickup truck with no headlights traveling at a high rate of speed. The officer initiated a traffic stop, and the driver pulled over in the 1100 block of 8th Avenue North. When the officer approached, the driver, identified as 26-year-old Christopher Cortez Johnson-Caine of Sauk Rapids, threw something out of the passenger side window and sped off. The officer went back to his car, but the truck was nowhere in sight. The officer was not pursuing Johnson-Caine, but did attempt to locate the truck.  He then returned to the site of the stop and found that the item tossed was a gun. As the gun was being secured, the call came in for the crash on the 1300 block of 10th Avenue North. Officers arrived on scene and said one of the vehicles involved was Johnson-Caine’s pickup. According to investigators, Johnson-Caine was going north on 10th Avenue North at an extremely high rate of speed and t-boned a passenger car that was traveling west on 13th Street North. Both people in that car died. The victims have been identified as 59-year-old Suleiman Mohamud Abdi and his passenger, 45-year-old Craig Arthur Hennen. Both are from St. Cloud. Johnson-Caine was taken to CentraCare St. Cloud Hospital and is in critical condition. This case remains under investigation by the St. Cloud Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit and the Minnesota State Patrol.

The Minnesota State Patrol reported one person was seriously hurt near Hewitt Saturday night, the Fergus Falls woman was taken to St. Cloud Hospital for treatment. A Mora man is dead after a two-vehicle accident Saturday in Kanabec County near Pease in a two-vehicle accident. The other driver was not hurt. Two people were hurt in an accident Sunday in Otter Tail County and another fatal accident is being investigating in northern Cass County. Making for another deadly weekend on Minnesota roadways. 

A 13-year-old Naytahwaush boy was pronounced dead after a lit firework he was holding went off and struck him in the chest, according to a Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office press release. At approximately 11:14 p.m. Friday, July 4, law enforcement responded to a residence on New Circle Drive in Naytahwaush on a report that 13-year-old Michael Turner had been struck with a firework. Upon arrival, law enforcement observed that Turner was not breathing and had no pulse. CPR was performed until medics arrived, and life-saving measures were continued until Turner was pronounced dead at 12:07 a.m. According to witness statements, Turner was holding a large firework in his hands and pointing it away from himself while it was lit. When the firework went off, it shot through the bottom of the tube and hit Turner in the chest. Another witness stated that the tube hit Turner in the chest, causing him to fall to the ground, clutching his chest. Bystanders ran to Turner’s aid and began chest compressions. This incident remains under investigation pending an autopsy. The family has been notified.

Minnesota Department of Transportation sent out a reminder to motorists over this past weekend that due to rain and thunderstorms there is still debris on roadways and some flooded over waterways on some state roads but likely many county and city streets still after northern Minnesota had heavy rains Saturday and southeastern Minnesota had thunderstorms with some winds that dropped some trees and debris along roads. As many return Sunday from the long weekend or even Monday a reminder to motorists to check surroundings and in some areas of the state expect delays. For the latest State Road information on any debris, flooding, accidents and road work reports check the website 511mn.org. 

A woman was airlifted to CentraCare St. Cloud Hospital with life-threatening injuries after a t-bone crash in Kandiyohi County on Thursday morning. According to the Minnesota State Patrol preliminary accident report, around 7:00, 66-year-old Debra Mae Palm of Morton was driving her 1996 Chevy Silverado west on 48th Avenue when she attempted to cross Highway 71. She was struck by a southbound 2000 Ford F250 driven by a 16-year-old from Spicer. The teenager suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

A teenage boy suffered life-threatening injuries in a side-by-side ATV crash early Friday morning. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says dispatchers received a call at about 12:40 a.m. for an overturned UTV with the driver unresponsive. Alexandria Police and North Ambulance responded to the area of Geneva Road and Douglas County Road 20. Emergency responders found a 17-year-old boy in the driver's seat.  They removed him from the machine and started life-saving measures. The sheriff's office says the teen was belted in but was not wearing a helmet. The boy was taken to Alomere Hospital for treatment but was then airlifted to a trauma center.

The Melrose Police Department is investigating an arson fire at the Kwik Trip store. The police department says just after 12:20 a.m. Friday, someone set fire to the east side of the building located at 220 East Kraft Drive. Details are limited on how much damage the building sustained, or any information on how the fire was started, or whether an accelerant was used. Melrose police have released surveillance photos which give a limited description of the suspect and are asking anyone who may have images or videos from the area to contact them.

A woman has been arrested after allegedly firing a gun in a backyard. On Saturday at about 1:00 p.m., Big Lake Police received a report of suspicious activity near the area of Fair Meadows and Driftwood Circle, in the City of Big Lake. Initial information was that a handgun was fired multiple times, into the ground, by an individual in the backyard of a home. As deputies responded to the area, a second caller reported similar information and a description of the shooter. The alleged shooter returned to the yard matched the physical description provided by witnesses, and was taken into custody without further incident. The woman was found in possession of spent bullet casings. She was booked into Sherburne County Jail for Felony-Reckless Discharge in a Municipality and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. There were no injuries reported. This is an isolated incident and there is no threat to public safety.

The Morrison County Sheriff's Office reported late Thursday morning that the city of Little Falls testing warning sirens and out by Sullivan Lake the warning sirens were also be tested. Cass County also reported on Thursday a number of sirens were being tested to make sure they were working properly. Again all the sirens were being tested in the area with no emergencies on Thursday. 

The next Little Falls City Council Meeting is Monday at 7:30pm at Little Falls City Hall Council Chambers. 

Competitive Eating News: Famed competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut reclaimed his title Friday at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest in New York for the coveted Mustard Belt. Chestnut, 41, consumed 70 1/2 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, falling short of his 2021 record of 76 wieners and buns. It marked the 17th win in 20 appearances for the Westfield, Indiana, eater at the internationally televised competition, which he missed last year over a contract dispute. Defending champion in the women’s division, Miki Sudo of Tampa, Florida, won her 11th title, downing 33 dogs, besting a dozen competitors. Last year, she ate a record 51 links. She, along with Chestnut were very apologetic for their performance stating they could have done better for the fans. A large crowd, peppered with foam hot dog hats, turned out to witness the annual eat-a-thon, held outside the original Nathan’s Famous restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn, since 1972. Many fans showed up to see Chestnut’s much-awaited return to an event he has called “a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life.”

Death Notices- Donald Strack, age 92 of Randall. Brian John Karnowski, age 68 of Little Falls. Kaitlyn (Tayson) Maxson, age 32 of Randall. 

Weather- today mostly sunny start, becoming humid, high 81, storms likely after 4pm through late evening some isolated strong storms possible, low 60. Tuesday sunny and less humid, high 77, low around 56. Wednesday sunny and warmer, high 83, low around 64. Thursday sunny, warm and humid, high 86, low around 60 with strong storms likely Thursday night into Friday. 

Sports- Miami beat Twins 4-1 on Thursday. Twins win 4-3 on a walk-off homerun from Harrison Bader on Friday then won 6-5 on a walk off hit by Brooks Lee on Saturday to take the first two games over the Tampa Bay Rays at Target Field. Bader had a big homerun to tie the game late Sunday but Tampa Bay was able to win it 7-5 in 10 innings over the Twins. The Twins are off today host the Chicago Cubs at Target Field Tuesday night on Q92 WYRQ. Collier scores 22 and Lynx beat Golden State 82-71 on Saturday then held on to beat Chicago 80-75 Sunday with Courtney Williams leading the Lynx with 25 points. The Minnesota Lynx win 3 in the last 4 days to go to 17-2 on the season and at Phoenix on Wednesday. A wild Victory League Game of the Week Sunday as Buckman wins 7-6 over Fort Ripley in 16 innings on KLTF.