Caledonia Argus

Juvenile sentenced in high speed car chase

Posted: 1/22/02

By Shannon McKinney
Argus News Reporter

A 17 year old female, Kobi Maria Connor, of Caledonia has been sentenced for stealing a car, taking police on a high speed chase through Caledonia and Hwy. 76 and then crashing the car near Beaver Creek State Park.

The incident took place on August 12, 2001 when Kathleen A. Lager called police at 4:24 a.m. to report that her car had been stolen.

The vehicle was located a short time later by Caledonia Police Officer Jim Stemper traveling on the 100 block of South First Street in Caledonia.

The vehicle immediately accelerated after Stemper activated his flashing lights. Stemper pursued the vehicle in Caledonia where it reached speeds of 45 miles per hour. Houston County Deputy Mike Ernster assisted in the pursuit and performed a ìrolling road blockî with Stemper in an attempt to slow down the vehicle. Ernster drove in front of the suspect vehicle, while Stemper drove behind. This move caused the vehicle to slow down to 10 miles per hour on Kingston Street near the intersection of Hwy. 44 and Hwy. 76. But Connor escaped the block with a left hand turn, which caused her to strike the back of Ernsterís squad car.

Connor continued on 76 and CSAH 1 traveling at speeds of 110 miles per hour, according to Ernster.

As they neared some curves, Ernster and Stemper backed off from the pursuit to prevent the driver from crashing near Beaver Creek Park.

The car crashed in a driveway and Connor fled from the car and hid.

A 14 year-old male passenger was found in the vehicle.

Ernster located Connor laying in some weeds. She tested negative for alcohol, while the passengerís blood alcohol level tested .121.

Connor was ordered to make restitution of $3,550. Her parents are responsible for $1,000. Connor is also required to write a letter of apology to the victim, and serve 50 hours of community service.

Of the six charges she faced, she was convicted of three: gross misdemeanor criminal damage to property, fleeing a police officer and, having no Minnesota drivers license. The last two are felonies.

Man sentenced in burglary

A La Crescent man, Lawrence Patrick Burns, 24, has been sentenced to nine days in the Houston County jail for stealing $125 from the business of Arnie Roth on Carlson Road in the Mound Prairie Township.

The theft occurred on two separate occasions. Burns admitted to entering Rothís property and stealing $20 on November 19, 2001 and then again sometime between the days of December 29 and January 2 and stealing about $100.

Burns has already paid restitution and will have to pay a $200 fine, a $12 law library fee and $35 court surcharges.

Woman sentenced in forgery

Starla D. Adams, 40, of Hokah was sentenced to 45 days in jail for theft of a controlled substance by false representation.

According to the complaint, Adams forged a prescription to obtain the drug Aderall, which is an amphetamine and a schedule II controlled substance.

She received the drug from La Crescent Skemp Pharmacy in La Crescent and Rice Pharmacy in Caledonia two times in January and February 2001.

She was in the process of obtaining the drug in March at the pharmacy in La Crescent when she was arrested.

Man charged in assault

Thomas Alvin Monson, 20, of Spring Grove is in jail after allegedly firing a gun and attacking a vehicle with a knife.

He was charged in Houston County court Thursday, January 16, 2002 with assault in the second degree, terroristic threats and criminal damage to property following an incident that occurred on January 12.

According to the complaint, the sheriffís office received a 911 call at 4:16 a.m. from Brian Goetzinger, 24, stating that Monson had stabbed the tires and hood of his car with a knife and had also taken a rifle and fired it twice.

When Houston County Deputy Luke Sass went to the residence where the incident occurred on County 27, he observed 100 to 200 long rifles in gun cases, gun cabinets hanging on walls in bedrooms or locked upstairs in the attic.

Sass also found a .22 caliber bullet lying in the middle of the sidewalk.

Monson was not found that night. The next day Monson called the sheriffís office, and he was interviewed by Sass.

Monson claims the gun was not actually a rifle, but a paint ball gun and that Goetzingerís car allegedly struck his right knee.

Bail has been set for Monson at $30,000 with unconditional bail at $50,000. He is also on a DOC (Department of Corrections) supervisor release violation hold.

If he is released, Monson is ordered to not have any firearms or enter a residence that has firearms.

Thefts

On Monday, January 21, 2002 at 9:05 a.m., Paul Schmitz of 721 East Grant St. reported that his red Dodge Caravan was stolen. It was unlocked with the keys in the ignition. The vehicle has the phrase, ìThis vehicle stops at all RxR crossingsî on it.

The vehicle is valued over $2,500.

Open door found in high school

On Saturday, December 19, at 2:30 a.m., an open door was found in the rear of Caledonia High School leading to the locker rooms. The building was checked and nothing was out of the ordinary.

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