Posted: 6/28/05
Caledonia police to enforce curfew
Caledoniaís juvenile curfew is being enforced more strictly these days.
Police chief Randy Shefelbine said on June 23 that a rash of juvenile-related complaints is bringing about the tougher policy.
Youths under age 17 must be in their homes by 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and by midnight Friday and Saturday. Officers will be stopping and identifying kids that donít comply, Shefelbine said.
The kids will be given and warning and told to go home. If they are caught again, their parents will be notified. If it happens after that, citations will be issued, Shefelbine said.
He expects to hear some complaints by parents, but he feels laws have to be enforced. Two or three unruly youths can ruin it for the rest of the kids in town, Shefelbine said.
Two juveniles, ages 17 and 14, were listed in several occurrences in the incident reports from June 15-June 22.
They were both given disorderly conduct tickets on June 18 during Founderís Day when officers confronted them for throwing bricks at a building on Main Street. They were loud, unruly, and used vulgar language while several people were within earshot, Shefelbine said.
Both youths were taken to the Houston County Sheriffís Office then transferred to Many Rivers Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Rochester.
They appeared in juvenile court in Caledonia on June 20 on these and other misdemeanor charges, and were placed under house arrest, assistant Houston County Attorney Suzanne Harnack said on June 23.
That didnít appear to work too well, because the youths were named in an altercation in front of an apartment building on South Kingston Street at about 9:30 p.m. on June 22. No charges were filed.
On June 23 two youths matching their description were reported running through a personís backyard and through downtown Caledonia at 2 a.m.
On June 21, a clerk at the AmericInn complained about the youths swearing and being ìmouthyî at the motel at about 8 p.m.
On June 21 a woman complained that the 14-year-old youth had threatened her and her boyfriend. The woman said the boy had told her that he had a gun and would take action necessary if her boyfriend didnít pay him $20 that he owed him.
A complaint was also registered on June 15 about the two boys loitering in front of a business and making lewd comments to a woman who lives near them.
Attorney Harnack said she didnít know what the next step would be with the youths, but that she is working on their cases. ìThereís always things coming in on those two,î she said.
Shefelbine added that noise complaints are also becoming numerous in the city. He said he has instructed his officers to issue citations for them.
OíBieglo charged
Jesse OíBieglo, 21, Caledonia was charged with obstructing the legal process and possession of drug paraphernalia on June 20. He pled not guilty and requested a jury trial, which has been set for July 18 at 3:30 p.m.
The charges stem from an incident on the night of June 18 at OíBiegloís house at 1022 Sunrise Lane. Police chief Randy Shefelbine said that OíBieglo was uncooperative with officers who had been called to the house to check reports of a party and underage consumption. Five people were ticketed for underage consumption. Danny Wood, 21, New Albin , Iowa, was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com