RIVER FALLS Police Department Reports

The following incidents were reported to River Falls Police Department Dec. 2-13.

face. She denied striking him.

Thursday, Dec. 2

At 12:44 a.m., police responded to 214 W. Johnson St. for a vehicle that had been vandalized by at least two women covered in dark blankets. They had used pink paint to cover the car with depictions of male genitalia and the word “CHEATER.” A neighbor had seen the act in progress, and scared them off. The complainant identified two possible suspects, which police said they’d investigate. The officer helped the complainant wipe paint off the car.

Friday, Dec. 3

At 11:43 p.m., police were called to Kwik Trip (1200 S. Main St.) for a repeat shoplifter complaint. The store manager provided photos and video of a suspect stealing multiple items throughout a 24-hour period, including coffee, a pint of cinnamon hazelnut creamer, Excedrin, a candy bar and more. The store staff has been watching the suspect for awhile, who apparently redeems lottery tickets frequently, but doesn’t pay for the items he conceals. Police identified the suspect as Shawn M. Krasky, 41, River Falls. He admitted to stealing the items and others three to five times per week. He told police theft has become a habit for him. He was cited for retail theft and trespassed from all River Falls Kwik Trip locations.

Jose Armando Huerta Miranda, 18, River Falls, was cited $250 for failure to stop for school bus at 8:11 a.m. Dec. 2 on Cemetery Road and Emory Circle.

Monday, Dec. 6

At 3:09 p.m., a River Falls High School student was dropping off another student at Meyer Middle School (230 N. Ninth St.) and allegedly accidentally ran over the student’s foot while she was getting out of the car. The passenger side rear tire rested on the student’s foot after the driver had pulled forward while the student was standing next to the car. An officer witnessed the incident and spoke to the student, who said she was fine, but showed him a mark on her foot. The officer decided to follow up on the incident the next day, at which time he learned the student had gone to the hospital after losing feeling in her foot later that night. After interviewing the driver, passenger and victim, it was determined the driver had run over the other student’s foot unintentionally.

Tuesday, Dec. 7

At 10:40 a.m., an officer reported to State and Church streets for a possible abandoned vehicle, a 2006 black Ford Freestyle. It had multiple parking citations and the registration had expired in September. Police left a voicemail for the registered owner. At 12:35 p.m. Dec. 13, the vehicle had been moved.

Police responded to a one-vehicle crash at 11:34 a.m. at Cudd Avenue, Wasson Lane and Morgan Road. A 2019 Chrysler Pacifica, driven by Lisa Catherine Bodin, 39, River Falls, had slid through the stop sign on Cudd Avenue and struck a light pole, coming to rest on top of the pole. The roads at the time were slippery and it was snowing. Bodin and two children, ages 3 and 1, all wore seat belts/proper restraints and had no injuries. City crews shut off power to the pole and the vehicle was towed with minor damage.

Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash at 12:42 p.m. on West Maple at Bobwhite Street between a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by Isaac Jerome Leier, 18, River Falls, and a 2019 Dodge Ram 1500, driven by Leif Eric Anderson, 38, River Falls. Leier was traveling north on Bobwhite Street, turning east onto Maple Street, while Anderson was traveling west on Maple Street, approaching the stop sign on Bobwhite. It was snowing and slippery. When Leier attempted to turn east, he started to slide and struck Anderson’s vehicle, who wasn’t quite stopped yet. Both drivers wore seat belts and reported no injuries. Leier’s vehicle had minor damage, while Anderson’s vehicle had functional damage.

Police responded at 6:18 p.m. to 404 Parkview Lane for an unwanted person. A man in his 30s had pounded on the windows and entered the house, and was on the living room floor moaning and rocking. When police arrived, the man, identified as Joseph R. Cobb, 47, River Falls, was wrapped in a blanket, siting behind the front door with his fingers in a bowl of water. Police requested EMS to evaluate Cobb for frostbite, as his fingers were gray. He told police he had run from a house in the 1700 block of East Division Street and that two men with dogs had chased him. He fell in the snow and came to the Parkview Lane home for help. He wasn’t supposed to be at Division Street house due to a protection order. Police arrested him for misdemeanor bail jumping and transported him to Pierce County Jail.

Mark Allen Binkley, 54, Ellsworth, was arrested and cited $861 for OWI after a traffic stop at 10:36 p.m. on South Main Street near West Johnson Street. Police found Binkley’s vehicle stopped in the northbound lane, parked, with its hazards on. The vehicle had heavy front end damage, which Binkley said had happened on the 22nd when he hit a deer in Burnett County. Binkley thought he was in Dresser and had soiled himself. Police also found a Yeti filled with an intoxicant. Binkley was highly intoxicated and unable to perform field sobriety tests. Police transported him to the hospital for a blood draw. He had no idea how he ended up in River Falls and said he’s been drinking Tito’s Vodka since 3 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 9

At 10:25 a.m., police responded to 930 S. Main St. for a fire in an apartment bathroom. When police arrived, heavy smoke was coming from the unit, so they evacuated the building. EMS arrived to evaluate the complainant, who said she didn’t know how the fire had started. No smoke detectors had gone off, but she had begun knocking on doors to alert people before police arrived. The fire was extinguished and the building deemed safe. Two cats in the apartment were also safe. The fire’s cause remains under investigation.

Patrick S. Hebel, 39, River Falls, was cited for $250 for operating while revoked (alcohol related) after a traffic stop at 4 p.m. on Highway 35 south of Radio Road for following too closely and expired registration. He was booked and given a courtesy ride to his residence.

At 8:27 p.m., police were called to 218 W. Charlotte St. for a domestic in progress. After interviewing a witness and the parties involved, Sherry Christine Olson, 40, River Falls, was arrested for domestic disorderly conduct. She said she’d had five or six shots of alcohol and argued with her husband about a friend coming over. When police arrived, her husband had injuries to his Friday, Dec. 10 Jennifer Lynne Javner, 31, River Falls, was arrested for operating while revoked and felony bail jumping after a traffic stop for speeding and failing to stop completely at a red light at 1:47 at Main and Walnut streets. Javner was also cited $250 for the operating while revoked charge. Police transported her to Pierce County Jail.

Kelsie Ann Drefko, 25, Menomonie, was arrested and cited $250 for operating while revoked after a traffic stop for speeding at 5:39 a.m. at Main and Park streets. Drefko’s occupational license was expired.

Bradley Dean Blanchard, 25, was arrested by Pierce County deputies after a traffic stop at 7:37 a.m. on Cascade Avenue for a stolen vehicle. River Falls police assisted at the scene.

Officers responded at 10:15 a.m. to the 1500 block of Commerce Court for a theft. A Yanmar viO17 excavator and a yellow trailer had been stolen while parked on the street near the Country Inn & Suites. The equipment belongs to Badger Boring and is valued at $50,000 total. The case remains under investigation.

At 8:30 p.m., police responded to the parking lot of 218 W. Charlotte St. for vehicle crash. Scott Hamilton Davis, 54, River Falls, was driving a 2000 Ford F150. He pulled into the parking lot and due to the icy surface and snow, slid into and struck two parked vehicles: A 2012 Chevrolet Malibu belonging to Austin J. Krauss, River Falls, and a 2016 Ford Fusion, belonging to Dalton J. Stewart, Menomonie. Davis wore a seat belt and reported no injuries. All three vehicles had minor damage; Davis admitted to having no vehicle insurance.

Michael John Benish, 35, New Richmond, was arrested and cited $861 for OWI, $98.80 for vehicle windows not reasonably clean and $98.80 for non-registration of vehicle – auto after a traffic stop at 11:10 p.m. at Cascade Avenue and Crescent Street. Police pulled over Benish after witnessing his vehicle almost hit a traffic light at the Main Street and Cascade Avenue intersection. He also had obstructed windows covered in snow and failed to follow the traffic lane in two roundabouts on Cascade Avenue. After performing field sobriety tests in the entryway of Grimm Hall on the UW-River Falls campus (due to the weather), police arrested Benish. He refused to take a Breathalyzer. He said he’d been at a work party at the West Wind.

Saturday, Dec. 11 Andrew Patrick Wekkin, 44, River Falls, was arrested and cited $861 for OWI, $861 for operating with PAC, and $136.60 for failure to keep vehicle under control after a crash at midnight at Julie and Taylor avenues. While on routine patrol near Greenwood Valley Drive and Macie Street, an officer saw a 2017 Jeep Renegade in the ditch between two retaining walls at Julie and Taylor avenues. People were attempting to dig the Jeep out. Wekkin failed field sobriety tests at RFPD and registered a .11 BAC. He said he thought he was driving onto a street and admitted to being unfamiliar with the area. He had been drinking at his workplace prior to the crash.

At 7:26 a.m., police on patrol saw a vehicle stuck in the snow on Birchcrest Street at Cascade Avenue in the driving lane. No one was around the 2002 Toyota Camry. Police attempted to contact the registered owner without success, so the vehicle was towed. Bridget K. Anderson, 22, called police at 10:45 a.m. and said she’d left the vehicle there since it was stuck. She was told to call police next time she got stuck so they could help. She had to be $320 to get her vehicle out of impound, between the tow charge and fine.

At 11:43 a.m., police responded to a two-vehicle crash on South Main and Foster streets between a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado, operated by Jeffrey Tyler Kujala, 30, River Falls, and a 2016 Toyota Prius, driven by Catherine Conlin Lippart, 61, Stoughton. Kujala said he was stopped at the stop light on Main at Foster Street when Lippart struck the rear passenger corner of his truck. When police arrived, he was pulling her vehicle out of the snowbank. Both drivers wore seat belts and reported no injuries. Two passengers in Kujala’s vehicle, Kaitlin Elizabeth Kujala, 29, River Falls, and 2-year-old child, wore seat belts and had no injuries. Two passengers in Lippart’s vehicle, Kyle David Lippart, 32, Stoughton, and Kirsten Elizabeth Lippart, 61, Stoughton, also wore seat belts and reported no injuries. Kujala’s truck had no damage, while Lippart’s vehicle had functional damage. Lippart was warned to slow down on icy roads.

At 12:36 p.m., a resident in the 1300 block of Golf View Drive reported fraud. A family member had been scammed out of $8,000 by being told another family member was in jail in Mexico. The scammers, including a man claiming to be an attorney from a U.S. Embassy, instructed the victim to send money to an address in California which turned out to be a vacant house in a crime-ridden area. The case remains under investigation.

At 11:32 p.m., police were asked to check on a man in orange pants who had fallen in the street on Cascade Avenue near Sixth Street. The man was heavily intoxicated and registered a 0.269 BAC. During a pat down, police found a small amount of marijuana.

Jon Thomas Creen, 51, River Falls, was cited $187 for possession of THC. He was given a courtesy ride to his home.

Sunday, Dec. 12

At 11:42 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of North Third Street reported a possible scam involving Australian Shepherd puppies. He sent $965 via pay app Zelle on Dec. 10 to a company advertising puppies for sale. They said he’d have the puppy seven to eight hours after receiving the money. He still hadn’t received the dog and believed it was a scam.

Police responded to a two-vehicle crash at 1:25 p.m. at Main and Maple streets between a 1997 GMC Sierra, driven by Steven John Bailey, 50, River Falls, and a 2017 GMC Sierra, driven by Thomas Andrew Maier, 57, River Falls. Both vehicles were traveling south on Main Street when Maier slowed for traffic. Bailey failed to slow down in time and struck Maier’s truck from behind. Both drivers wore seat belts and reported no injuries. A passenger in Bailey’s truck, Gina Theresa Maier, 63, River Falls, reported no injuries. Both vehicles had functional damage.

Monday, Dec. 13

Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash at 7:25 a.m. on Cemetery Road at Sixth Street/965th Street between a 2005 Toyota Camry, driven by Sebastian Ruark Kempf, 17, River Falls, and a 1995 Dodge Ram 1500, driven by Vanessa Elizabeth Fisher, 16, River Falls. Both vehicles were traveling east on Cemetery Road/Highway 29. Fisher slowed for a pedestrian crossing the street in a marked crosswalk; other vehicles in front of Fisher were also stopped. Kempf, who was behind Fisher, hit

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his brakes but couldn’t stop in time due to icy road conditions. He rear-ended Fisher’s truck. Both drivers wore seat belts and reported no injuries. A passenger in Kempf’s vehicle, Tyler Lawrence Phelps, 17, River Falls, also wore a seat belt and reported no injuries. Kempf’s Camry was towed due to disabling damage, while Fisher’s truck had functional damage.

Police responded to a two-vehicle crash at 9:15 a.m. on North Main and Pine streets between a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee, driven by Zachary Ryan Bain, 21, Cottage Grove, Minn., and a 2015 Chevrolet, driven by Makenna Renee Youngberg, 20, Braham, Minn. Both vehicles were heading north on Main Street approaching the parking lot entrance at 320 N. Main St. Youngberg slowed to turn right into the parking lot, while Bain didn’t notice she was turning until too late, hit his brakes, slid on the icy road and rear-ended her vehicle. Both drivers wore seat belts and reported no injuries. Bain’s vehicle had minor damage, while Youngberg’s had functional damage.

Police responded at 9:13 p.m. to Kinnic Falls (900 Orange St.) for an intoxicated and disorderly man, who was punching walls and breaking things. The man had drank almost a whole 100ML bottle of Fireball in the hallway. Bradley James Bergen, 34, River Falls, was arrested for disorderly conduct and taken to Pierce County Jail.