Posted: 2/21/06
Woman faces charges after high-speed chase
A Spring Grove woman is in jail in Rochester following a high speed chase in Caledonia on February 14.
Here is what happened according to a criminal complaint that was filed on February 16.
Caledonia police were notified at about 7 p.m. that Renee Larayne Buckland, 40, had taken a friendís vehicle and was intoxicated.
Shortly after that, officer Jim Stemper spotted Buckland and the 1989 Plymouth Voyageur in the Alco parking lot. He followed her out of the parking lot, then pulled her over.
Buckland drove off and turned south on Highway 44. Houston County Houston County deputy Luke Sass, who had been called to assist, followed her, then passed her and attempted a moving roadblock. She intentionally rammed his vehicle three times before finally coming to a stop.
Buckland then backed up, rammed into the Caledonia squad car which had stopped behind her, and took off again. Her speed reached 96 miles an hour by MaCalGrove Country Club, and there was oncoming traffic.
Sass tried another moving road block. Buckland rammed the side of his squad, and was driving on the wrong side of the road and on the opposite shoulder.
Sass passed the woman a third time, and she finally lost control and went into the ditch about a mile west of the airport.
Sass and Stemper drove their cars into the ditch and pinned her vehicle next to a fence. She continued to press the accelerator at this time.
The chase lasted four minutes and covered a distance of 3.3 miles.
Buckland was then arrested and taken to a detox center in Rochester, where she remained as of February 20.
Damage to the county and city cars is estimated at $4,500 and $1,100 respectively.
Buckland made her first court appearance in Rochester on February 17 because there was no judge available in Caledonia. She was charged with two counts of second degree assault, four counts of criminal damage to property, two counts of obstructing the legal process, and single counts of fleeing a peace officer, motor vehicle use without consent, second degree DUI, second degree refusal to test, driving without a valid license, and violation of drivers license restriction.
She has two prior DUI convictions, in February, 2004; and July, 2005.
Her next court appearance had not been set as of February 20.
Accident injures woman
Julie A. Dohman, 37, Brownsville, was injured in a one-car accident early Sunday morning, February 12.
The accident happened 1/8 mile west of Hillside Road on County Road 3 after her 1988 Nissan pickup truck rolled over on the south side of the road. She was travelling west.
She was discovered at 12:48 a.m. by a passing motorist.
Tri-State Ambulance transported her to Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse. Brownsville First Responders also went to the scene. Her injuries were described as severe by the Houston County Sheriffís Department.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com