Charges Filed Against Driver of Stolen Motorcycle that Police Chased Down Interstate

Additional charges could be filed against a St. Cloud man following I-94 chase last week.

The driver of a motorcycle that led several law enforcement agencies on a chase down I-94 last week has been charged by Hennepin County prosecutors with fleeing police and DWI. An off-duty Plymouth police officer was in the area of I-94 and Weaver Lake Road in Maple Grove last Wednesday, May 1, when he observed a motorcycle driving erratically and almost hitting several vehicles, according to the criminal complaint filed late last week and signed by Deputy Ramone Walton of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office. Steven Vincent Pierce, 24 of St. Cloud, entered the ditch several times and nearly collided with two different semi trucks during the chase, which involved the off-duty Plymouth officer, Rogers police and the Hennepin County Sheriff’…

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Report: Motorcycle Crashes in Albertville After Police Pursuit

An off-duty Plymouth K-9 ofscanner audio clip of a chase from Rogers on I-94 that ended at the Albertville exit May 1.

A police pursuit on eastbound I-94 Wednesday, May 1 ended with a motorcycle crash in Albertville. An off-duty Plymouth K-9 officer was on his way home from work around 10:15 p.m. Wednesday evening when the officer "came upon a motorcycle that was westbound I-94 coming into Rogers that was all over the road, driving on the shoulder and almost striking several vehicles," according to the Rogers Police Department incident report.  Officers attempted to stop the motorcycle when it "took off at a high rate of speed." The pursuit began, ending when the suspect "crashed" at Albertville exit 201 in Albertville, according to the incident report. The individual, later identified as a 24-year-old Rochester man, was injured and transported to North …

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UPDATE: Albertville Woman Injured after Truck Blows Red Light in Crash

A multiple vehicle accident at the new Interstate 94 and County Road 19 intersection injured one person.

UPDATE: The Wright County Sheriff's Department has issued the following report in the wake of yesterday's injury accident at Interstate 94 and Wright County 19 in Albertville. The Wright County Sheriff's Office was notified of a two vehicle crash at the intersection of County Road 19 and the westbound exit ramp of I-94. The initial investigation indicates that a 2011 Chevrolet Traverse being driven by Robin Anderson, 35, of St Michael was northbound on County Road 19 when it went through a red light and struck a 2000 Oldsmobile being driven by Cassandra Littmann, 28, of Albertville. The Oldsmobile was exiting westbound I-94 to turn south on County Road 19. Littmann was transported to St. Cloud's Centra Care Hospital by Allina Ambulance. …

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UPDATE: Name Released of Otsego Woman Who Died in Crash

A 26-year-old Otsego woman was killed Wednesday on slippery roads.

STORIES OF THE YEAR: Target Truck Loses Control, Slides into Pond off I-94 Near Albertville: No. 7 Top Story of 2012

A semi truck pulling a Target trailer left the road Friday morning about five miles west of Albertville and sank into an icy pond.

As we get closer to the end of the year, St. Michael Patch highlights stories shared with the community in 2012. This was the No. 7 most-read story on St. Michael Patch this year. It was published Jan. 6, 2012. --------- Friday morning's commute was brought to a screeching halt around 6:15 a.m. when a semi driver and his rig left the road, crashed through a series of fences and sank through an icy pond. The crash, which happened near mile marker 197 on Interstate 94, according to the Minnesota Highway Patrol, started in the eastbound lane. But driver John Netiffee of Anoka was able to avoid the westbound lanes of traffic and skidded his rig across several hundred yards of ice before it sank into the freezing water. Netiffe climbed out of …

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Freeway Traffic Speeds Change From 'Free Flowing' To 'Congested' From St. Michael

The MnDOT map shows most of the metro freeways slow or congested as more vehicles began their morning commute.

A map showing metro freeways as "free flowing" and green in the 6 a.m. hour have changed to "congested" and red, from St. Michael and beyond by 8:30 a.m. A crash was reported around 8:20 a.m. on Interstate 94 westbound in Rogers, between exit 205 and 207 for Main Street. As expected, freeways traveling toward Minneapolis and St. Paul from the suburbs and neighboring towns are more congested, like Interstate 94 eastbound. Some areas of the map are yellow, meaning "slow," which is one step better than red. The map is provided by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.  In terms of road conditions related to slipperiness and snow, the St. Michael and Albertville area is categorized as "difficult driving"this morning as the rest of the …

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Driver Loses Control, Crashes into Space Aliens Restaurant Property

A Saturday afternoon scare sent one driver to the hospital in Albertville.

A driver lost control of her vehicle Saturday afternoon and veered off into the Space Aliens parking lot, finally crashing to a stop against the Space Aliens Restaurant in Albertville after hitting a small retaining wall and some landscaping.  According to the Albertville Fire Department, the driver, who has not been identified, was alone and headed west along Wright County Road 37 when she lost control.  The driver, a paraplegic, was using hand controls on her steering wheel to control the car but couldn't navigate the curve just to the east of the Space Aliens property. She was transported by ambulance for injuries, but they were not believed to be life-threatening or serious.  The accident happened between the lunch and dinner rush …

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Albertville Man gets 10 Days for Role in 2011 Crash

Ritchie Elliot, who caused a crash Memorial Day weekend in Albertville, was sentenced last month.

Ritchie Jon Elliot, 44, of Albertville, was sentenced on April 18 for Criminal Vehicular Operation to 365 days jail, $3,000 fine/ 335 days, $2,000 stayed for three years on conditions of probation, serve 30 days jail, pay $1,000 fine plus surcharges, pay restitution, undergo a chemical dependency assessment and follow all recommendations, have no use or possession of alcohol or non-prescription drugs, submit to random testing, write a letter of apology, obtain permission before leaving the state, provide DNA sample, serve 60 days on electronic home monitoring, have no same or similar violations.  Sentenced by Judge Halsey. Elliot was sentenced for his role in a two-vehicle crash on Memorial Day Weekend last year, caused when he left the …

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Target Truck Loses Control, Slides into Pond off I-94 Near Albertville

A semi truck pulling a Target trailer left the road Friday morning about five miles west of Albertville and sank into an icy pond.

Friday morning's commute was brought to a screeching halt around 6:15 a.m. when a semi driver and his rig left the road, crashed through a series of fences and sank through an icy pond. The crash, which happened near mile marker 197 on Interstate 94, according to the Minnesota Highway Patrol, started in the eastbound lane. But driver John Netiffee of Anoka was able to avoid the westbound lanes of traffic and skidded his rig across several hundred yards of ice before it sank into the freezing water. Netiffe climbed out of his truck and onto the ice, making his way to safety, Patrol Lt. Eric Roeske said. Target employees at the Rogers store did not know if the truck was headed to their location, or even if it was hauling freight at the time…

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Albertville City Council Examines County Road 19 Intersections

A recent rash of crashes at LaBeaux Avenue (County Road 19) intersections prompted questions from the city council for staff.

Tuesday, Albertville council member Larry Sorenson had an addition to the agenda for the night’s council meeting. “What’s the deal with the accidents on [Wright] County Road 19 and what can we do to make it safer?” he asked. Authorities have been called to the intersections on County Road 19 (LaBeaux Avenue through Albertville) an unsettling amount of times as accident incidents at the intersections have increased. To date, each of the accidents have occurred when drivers are making left turns and not able to see oncoming traffic due to another vehicle in the left hand turn lane across from them. “What are the options?” Sorenson asked the council and city staff Tuesday. Council member Jill Schommer spoke up with personal experience. “I was…

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missyme

6:48 pm on Monday, September 12, 2011

Law Enforcement is on 19 regularly and certainly uses these intersections. Perhaps the city council should speak with them about the problem --the causes and possible solutions. I'm on 19 a lot, and I agree with john about the speeding. Too many drivers are in too big a hurry to drive carefully.   more ›