On injured in moped accident near Richville

By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent 

Sheriff deputies, On July 26, warned area residents, especially young people, that in light of low water levels it is extremely dangerous to swin at dams and spillways.

Near-drownings took place July 25 at the dam near Highway 72 and close to Zorbaz on the southwest side of Otter Tail Lake.

One juvenile female was sucked under water but managed to escape about 7:30 p.m. A juvenile male suffered injuries and needed to be pulled from the water.

“There are hidden and potentially unknown hazards due to these water situations related to the drought,” said a sheriff deputy.

Agencies that responded to the dangerous situation at Otter Tail Lake, in addition to sheriff deputies, included the county water patrol and first responders from Battle Lake.

Cycle, vehicle collide near Jewett Lake

A U-turn on Highway 27 near Jewett Lake, north of Fergus Falls, resulted in the vehicle hitting a motorcycle and injuring two people on the cycle.

The accident took place just before noon on July 23.

The two cycle riders who were injured were from Pelican Rapids, a 59-year-old male and 50-year-old female. 

The driver of the vehicle, a 33-year-old woman from the Twin Cities, and her 2-year-old daughter were not injured. Alcohol was not a factor in the accident.

Burglary reported at Rose Lake

Several items were taken from a dwelling at Rose Lake, near Vergas and reported to the sheriff’s office on July 23.

A door had been left unlocked. An investigation was continuing as of July 26.

Storm causes damage

A storm with strong winds caused damage in the Underwood, Vining and Perham areas of Otter Tail County on July 24.

Included were power pole sparking, lightning causing a fire at a shed that was destroyed, and a power line that was hanging low over a road.

One injured in moped accident

One person was injured in a moped accident at 10:05 a.m. on July 27 at the intersection of Highway 14 and 375th Street, just west of Richville in central Otter Tail County.

The driver, a male, lost control on a curve and left the roadway before crashing. He sustained shoulder pain and suffered a bloody nose.

Mopeds have lower speeds than motorcycles but still have some potential dangers. A car approaching a moped from behind will approach it more quickly than the driver expects.

B Farmall tractor stolen

A Farmall tractor, B style, was reportedly stolen from a location on 360th Street on May 28. The general location was not made available.

The farmsite, with nobody living there at the present time, appeared to have been rummaged through by unknown suspects.

The B style Farmall has a centered engine, seat offset to the right and narrow front end. The unit has culti-vision which is perfect for organic farmers who need to do precision cultivating for weed control.