RIVER FALLS Police Department Reports

The following incidents were reported to River Falls Police Department Jan. 18-24.

Tuesday, Jan. 18

At 3:15 p.m., a complainant reported damage to a door and picture frames in an apartment at 930 S. Main St. The damage resulted from a domestic incident a couple of months prior. The complainant wanted the incident documented as the suspect is on the lease and refused to leave the apartment.

At 10:01 p.m., police were called to 930 S. Main St. where a man was damaging property in an apartment. Aspen Tewinkel, 19, River Falls, was arrested for domestic disorderly conduct and criminal damage to property. He had broken a picture frame during a verbal argument, flipped a mattress off a bed and grabbed someone aggressively. He told police he has thrown things before when enraged. Police took photos of broken items and holes in the walls. He was transported to Pierce County Jail.

Officers responded at 10:55 p.m. to 1553 Paulson Road for a vehicle fire near the gas pumps. When police arrived, they found a 2008 Chrysler Town & Country mini van fully engulfed in flames. Jayden Paul Terrell, 19, said when his vehicle began smoking from the front engine compartment, he opened the hood to try to put it out. While trying to put out the flames, an explosion rocked the engine compartment and blew him backward. He quickly got his 1-yearold son and dog out of the car and ran to the Country Inn Hotel. The dog ran away, but police were able to catch it going down Main Street. EMS arrived and evaluated Terrell and his son. The child was not injured, but Terrell had an injured hand. After River Falls Fire extinguished the flames, the vehicle was towed.

Wednesday, Jan. 19

At 11:40 a.m., police were called to Kwik Trip (1238 N. Main St.) for a theft. A man had come into the store at 11:33 a.m. and taken a Reece’s, Twizzlers, two Mounds candy bars, 1 quart of chocolate milk and three quarts of vehicle oil without paying. He got into the passenger side of a 2007 Subaru Legacy that was waiting outside the doors. Police identified the driver and suspect through vehicle registration and interviews. When they contacted the driver, the suspect said he’d return and pay for the items but never did. He blamed the theft on taking new medication. The case is pending. The vehicle is suspected in two other area thefts: One on Jan. 12 at Kwik Trip (1200 S. Main St., River Falls) and one on Jan. 17 at Holiday (210 Second St., Hudson).

At 3:48 p.m. police responded to a vehicle vs. bus crash at Eighth and Cedar streets between a legally parked 2018 Subaru Outback, owned by Mollie Katherine Cleary, River Falls, and a River Falls School District bus, driver unknown. Cleary said she had parked facing south on Eighth Street in front of Greenwood Elementary. She had been sitting in her vehicle for two minutes when a bus turning east onto Cedar Street struck the front of her car with the back of the bus as it swung around. The bus driver wasn’t immediately identified, but video footage showed it was Bus #187. Cleary’s vehicle had functional damage. She reported no injuries.

Thursday, Jan. 20

At 12:46 a.m., police responded to a home in the 100 block of South Fourth Street for a juvenile runaway that had left home at 10:30 p.m. Police checked several places the juvenile frequents but were not successful. Police later received a phone call at 5 a.m. from the Eau Claire Police Department saying they’d had contact with the juvenile and a 24-year-old man near the juvenile detention center. Police had told the 24-year-old to take the juvenile home. River Falls police reached the man by phone, who advised they were on a ride to Black River Falls. He returned the juvenile to Eau Claire, where police took the juvenile into custody. He told police he’d met the juvenile while walking near UW-River Falls and they bonded over both having difficulties in life. The juvenile was removed from the missing persons list when their parents picked them up.

A 12-year-old juvenile was cited $73.60 for minor possesses or purchases nicotine/tobacco after another student reported the juvenile was using a vape in a bathroom stall at Meyer Middle School (230 N. Ninth St.) The juvenile was called to the office around 11 a.m.

At 4:51 p.m., a two-vehicle crash was reported to police that had occurred at 4:45 p.m. Jan. 18 at highways 29 and 35/65 between a 2018 Volkswagen, driven by Julie Renee Trcka, 25, River Falls, and a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, driven by

Holly D. Bloom, 32, River Falls. Bloom was traveling west on Highway 29 and had stopped at the stop sign at highways 29 and 35/65, preparing to turn north. Trcka was behind Bloom, also preparing to turn to head north. She was looking at the traffic coming from the south and thought Bloom had proceeded. She drove forward and struck the back of Bloom’s vehicle. Both vehicles had minor damage. Both drivers wore seat belts and reported no injuries. Passenger Anthony P. Bloom, 38, River Falls, also wore a seat belt and reported no injuries.

Friday, Jan. 21

Police responded at 11:12 a.m. to a domestic incident at ValuStay Inn (708 N. Main St.) between mother and daughter. A third party reported the incident. Naihla Laquann Buckley, 36, River Falls, denied any incident took place but was arrested on three warrants. She was transported to Pierce County Jail, where she had to be forcibly removed from the squad. She was uncooperative and failed the booking process, during which she kicked a jail employee.

At 3:48 p.m., police responded to 314 E. Johnson St. for a catalytic converter theft. The complainant had witnessed an unknown red SUV parked in the driveway. When she asked her husband about it, he went outside and discovered the red SUV was gone, but the catalytic converter missing from his Ford F250.

At 4:17 p.m., a caller reported a catalytic converter theft that had occurred while the complainant’s vehicle was parked at Rocky Branch Elementary (1415 Bartosh Lane). Video surveillance showed a red SUV pull up behind the complainant’s vehicle about 2:03 p.m. It remained for about two minutes before leaving.

At 5:34 p.m., a caller reported a catalytic converter theft from a vehicle that had been parked at River Falls High School (818 Cemetery Road). Video surveillance showed a red SUV stop near the complainant’s vehicle at 1:41 p.m. and leave at 1:48 p.m. The suspect vehicle is believed to be a newer Ford Explorer.

Saturday, Jan. 22

Police responded to a vehicle vs. mailbox crash at 5:09 p.m. near 1333 N. Main St. A 2003 Lexus ES, driven by Grace C. Clark, 20, Rockford, Minn., was traveling south in the 1300 block of North Main Street approaching the Quarry Road intersection. When a vehicle stopped in front of her, she drove off the road onto the right shoulder to avoid striking the vehicle, but struck three mailboxes. The vehicle had minor damage. Clark wore a seat belt and reported no injuries.

Sunday, Jan. 23

Police responded at 1:34 a.m. to Shooter’s Pub (107 E. Elm St.) for an intoxicated person who was denied service but refused to leave. Alex Michael Schroer, 22, River Falls, was arrested and cited $187 for disorderly conduct. He registered a 0.225 blood alcohol level.

Ethan Vang, 19, Maplewood, Minn., was cited $187 for underage drinking after a traffic stop near Main and Locust streets. Vang’s friend was pulled over driving Vang’s vehicle. She told police she was heading to Emma’s to pick up Vang. Because officers found an open Miller Lite in the backseat, they asked to speak with Vang, who appeared intoxicated. He denied drinking at Emma’s.

At 2:20 a.m., police received a 911 hang-up call from 720 W. Maple St. The person on the line sounded extremely intoxicated, but hung up and wouldn’t answer the phone when called back. When they responded, they found a 36-year-old man facedown on the kitchen floor with his head against a hutch. He was unconscious and bodily fluids were leaking from his mouth and nose. His head was purple and he had a cut on his head; there was blood on the hutch and floor. EMS arrived and transported him to Regions Hospital in St. Paul. No one else was home at the time.

Police responded at 11:09 a.m. to 122 ½ W. Cascade Ave. for a domestic disturbance. When police approached, they heard aggressive yelling laced with profanities. Based on the evidence, Joel Thomas Hunt, 23, River Falls, was arrested for domestic disorderly conduct and domestic battery and transported to Pierce County Jail.

Officers responded to a vehicle vs. fire hydrant crash at 1:35 p.m. at Meadows Drive and Division Street. Austin Tyler Hines, 41, was driving a 2021 Mazda CX-9 north on Division Street. He attempted to turn right onto Meadows Drive, but was traveling too fast for conditions, continued straight and struck the fire hydrant. The vehicle had functional damage. Hines and 9-year-old passenger both wore seat belts and reported no injuries. He was cited $136.60 for driving too fast for conditions.

Police were called at 3 p.m. to 950 S. Main St. because a man was drunk and throwing things in an apartment. His bond conditions stated he was supposed to maintain absolute sobriety and have no abusive contact with the complainant. When police arrived, they found several items thrown out onto the sidewalk. Cory Levan Tyson, 24, River Falls, was arrested for misdemeanor bail jumping and domestic disorderly conduct. After registering a BAC of 0.297, he had to be medically cleared at the hospital before being taken to Pierce County Jail.

Monday, Jan. 24

Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash at 11:29 a.m. at Cascade Avenue and Main Street between a 2004 Volvo XC90, driven by Karina Lea Monson, 22, Eagan, Minn., and a 2016 Honda Accord, driven by Lori Lynn Leitch, 57, River Falls. Monson said she was heading west on East Cascade Avenue and was in the left turn lane about to turn left onto South Main Street. She had the green arrow to turn left. Leitch was heading north on Main Street, about to turn right onto East Cascade Avenue, when she hit a patch of ice and couldn’t stop in time. She slid into the front end of Monson’s vehicle. Monson’s vehicle had functional damage, while Leitch’s was towed due to disabling damage. Both passengers wore seat belts and reported no injuries. Passenger Bryann Leitch, 99, River Falls, also wore a seat belt and reported no injuries. Lori Leitch was cited for failure to keep vehicle under control.

At 4:11 p.m., a resident at 132 W. Johnson St. reported a catalytic converter theft. The complainant said she had last driven her 2008 Kia Sportage on Jan. 20 at 9 p.m., then left for the weekend. When she started the vehicle at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 24, the vehicle was excessively loud. There are no suspects.

At 11:26 p.m., a call came in from ValuStay Inn (708 N. Main St.) reporting a vehicle break-in and theft. The complainant’s boyfriend said he had put their van keys in his pocket, but there was a hole in the pocket and the keys must have fallen out. When they went outside a short time later, the keys were gone and the van door was open.