Additional theft reported in rural Otter Tail County

By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent 

Sheriff deputies, on Feb. 6, reported the theft of various items from a vehicle that had been left in the ditch close to North Clitherall Lake Road. 

The vehicle had been left in the ditch overnight after the driver lost control of the vehicle and entered the ditch. He was transported home by another vehicle.

Taken from the vehicle were a Hummingbird Helix Fish Graph, an i-Phone, tow rope and ice fishing rod and reel. The estimated value of the stolen items, according to sheriff deputies, was estimated at close to $1,100.

There were no suspects as of Monday morning, Feb. 7.

Assault reported

A resident who lives in Dent reported an assault close to 3:15 a.m. on Feb. 5.

Sheriff deputies reported that two men were, earlier, drinking together at a nearby establishment. One man went to his nearby shop and the was assaulted by the man he had been drinking with earlier.

The shop owner said he threw the other man out of the shop and the accused assailant left on a blue Yamaha snowmobile. The snowmobile was eventually left at a friend’s house and the assailant could not be located.

Sheriff deputies were later in the process of tracking down the accused assailant, obtaining statements from both individuals and compiling evidence.

Theft reported

Sheriff deputies, on Feb. 8, reported the theft of several items from a house located near 290th Street in Otter Tail County.

Former renters allegedly took items from a dwelling that belonged to the property owner. Among the items stolen was approximately $1,300 worth of carpet.

Ice causes several off-road accidents

Several vehicles went into ditches throughout the county on Friday, Feb. 11, due to icy roadways. These off-road accidents were reported to the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Department.

By the end of the day sheriff deputies has responded to at least 22 off-road accidents due to icy roadways. Fortunately, no serious injuries were reported.

Larger vehicles as well as smaller vehicles were affected by the icy roadways.

One example was a semi accident at 2:16 p.m. on Highway 78. That’s where a semi-truck driver lost control of his vehicle, spun around and entered the west ditch. A cable barrier was damaged.

Traffic injury reported near Henning

Two roadway accidents with injuries were reported in Otter Tail County on Feb. 15.

The first accident, at 4:37 a.m., took place at the intersection of Highways 78 and 10, south of Perham. Two people received minor injuries in a two-vehicle collision.

The second accident took place at 3:29 p.m. at the intersection of Highways 16 and 108, west of Henning. This was a one-vehicle rollover when an elderly man sustained minor injuries.

Roadway injury near New York Mills

One person was injured in a rollover southwest of New York Mills on Feb. 16 after losing control of his vehicle on Highway 67.

The driver attempted to pass two vehicles on the snow-covered roadway.

“He lost control of the vehicle while southbound,” said a sheriff deputy. “The vehicle came to rest on its side.”

The driver was treated for minor injuries at an area hospital. The accident took place at 3:36 p.m.