RIVER FALLS Police Department Reports

The following incidents were reported to the River Falls Police Department Oct. 26-Nov. 1.

Tuesday, Oct. 26

Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash at 7:23 a.m. in the South Wasson Lane and Cemetery Road roundabout between a 2020 BMW 230XI, driven by Barbara A. Rasmussen, 71, River Falls, and a 2006 Toyota Sienna, driven by Olivia Gretchen Dunham, 16, River Falls. Rasmussen said she was heading east on Cemetery Road when she entered the roundabout and was “bumped.” Dunham was already in the roundabout and couldn’t stop in time. Rasmussen was cited $98.80 for failure to yield right of way in a roundabout.

At 12:41 p.m., police responded to Anthony’s Tobacco Shop (703A Main St.) for a retail theft that had occurred the previous day. A 16-year-old North Hudson juvenile had taken 15-20 “Moon Buzz” cigars, valued at $10.99 each. Video surveillance showed the theft occurring as the owner helped another customer. Police identified the juvenile and attempted to contact him.

Police responded to a two-vehicle crash at 3:12 p.m. on Cascade Avenue near Crescent Street between a 2006 Ford Explorer, driven by Ellen Amanda Ritland, 36, River Falls, and a 2011 Honda Odyssey, driven by Areej Imran Khan, 20, Woodbury, Minn. Khan said she was heading eastbound on Cascade Avenue when three vehicles in front of her came to a sudden stop. She couldn’t stop in time and struck the back of Ritland’s vehicle. Ritland and two witnesses said the two vehicles in front of her stopped for an unknown reason, so she had to slam on her brakes. Both drivers wore seat belts and reported no injuries. Two passengers in Ritland’s vehicle, a 5-year-old and a 6-month-old, were properly restrained and appeared uninjured. The Explorer had minor damage, while the Odyssey had functional damage.

At 4:15 p.m., police received a call regarding a no contact order violation. Police gathered photo evidence of text messages.

Amanda Kristine Ziebarth, 32, last known address River Falls, was contacted by police and told to cease contact with the complainant. A felony bail jumping charge was referred to the Pierce County District Attorney.

Wednesday, Oct. 27 Andrew S. Stensrud, 38, River Falls, was cited $187 for display false vehicle registration plate and $124 for operate without valid license after a traffic stop at 2:27 a.m. at North Main and Union streets. The vehicle was parked in the roadway in a noparking zone with no lights activated. The driver said he had run out of gas and forgotten his wallet at home. The false plates were confiscated and the vehicle towed.

Officers responded to a four-vehicle crash at 3:16 p.m. on Highway 29 just south of Highway 35 in the city of River Falls between a 1997 Dodge Ram, driven by Devonn Mitchell Scott, 16, River Falls; a 1999 Chrysler Sebring, driven by Garry Ledell Campbell, 60, Ellsworth; a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, driven by Abby Elizabeth Madsen, 17, River Falls; and a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee, driven by Jennifer Lynn Chrest, 45, River Falls. Scott was traveling northbound on Highway 29/65/35 just south of the intersection with East Cascade Avenue. The other three vehicles were traveling northbound in front of Scott, and slowing due to traffic backed up at the Cascade/Highway 29 stoplight. Scott rear-ended Campbell, who struck Madsen, who struck Chrest. Scott said he was having issues with his brakes and when he pushed on the brake pedal, nothing happened. Two drivers said they saw Scott driving aggressively as he left the River Falls High School parking lot. All drivers wore seat belts and reported no injuries. Scott’s truck and Chrest’s Jeep had minor damage, while Campbell’s and Madsen’s vehicles were towed due to disabling damage. Scott was cited $136.60 for failure to keep vehicle under control.

Thursday, Oct. 28

Officers responded to a three-vehicle crash at 3:07 p.m. on Highway 29 just south of Highway 35 between a 2015 Hyundai Accent, driven by Olivia Diane Appleton, 16, River Falls; a 2019 Ford Ranger, driven by Matthew Eric Pevan, 44, Hudson; and a 2021 Jeep Cherokee, driven by Olivia Joy Marie Nelson, 17, Hudson. All three vehicles were travelling northbound on Highway 65 approaching Cascade Avenue and came to abrupt stop due to traffic congestion. Pevan and Nelson were able to come to complete stops, but Appleton couldn’t stop in time. She rear-ended Pevan’s vehicle, who in turn rear-ended Nelson’s vehicle. All drivers wore seat belts and reported no injuries. Nelson’s passenger, Olivia Gretchen Dunham, 16, River Falls, wore a seat belt and reported no injuries. A 14-year-old passenger in Pevan’s vehicle wore a seat belt and also reported no injuries. Appleton’s vehicle had functional damage. Pevan’s vehicle had minor damage. Nelson’s vehicle had no damage.

At 10:17 p.m., an officer responded to Shooter’s Pub (107 E. Elm St.) for a trespassing complaint. Seth Westover, 33, River Falls, refused to leave the doorway and was causing a disturbance. He was trespassed from the premises and asked to leave.

Friday, Oct. 29

At 7:47 a.m., police received a complaint of an intoxicated motorist heading from Hudson to River Falls. Police went to the man’s house at 221 S. Fourth St., where they found his vehicle still warm to the touch. Probation said the man, identified as

Brandon Bruce Johnson, 37, River Falls, had shown up to work intoxicated, which violated his bond conditions. When he finally came out of the house, he registered a .15 blood alcohol content level and was arrested for the bond violation. During a search of the residence, police found another man hiding behind clothes in a closet. He was identified as Cory Mathew McCutcheon, 32, River Falls. Police also confiscated a substantial amount of methamphetamine, related paraphernalia, a loaded syringe and unused syringes from the residence. Felony bail jumping and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver charges were referred to the district attorney for McCutcheon.

At 9:18 a.m., police were called to the area of 205 W. Cedar St. where a woman had stolen two bicycles off a neighbor’s porch. Police located Naihla Laquann Buckley, 36, River Falls, near Veterans Park with the bicycles. She said her mother and a man at the Value Stay Inn had told her to take the bicycles; she claimed to be taking them to the police department. Buckley said she had taken an unknown drug two days prior and thought she was taking the bikes from an acquaintance’s house. When police attempted to arrest her, she became resistive and uncooperative. They had trouble getting her into the squad car, but eventually she was arrested for misdemeanor bail jumping, theft – movable property and resisting or obstructing an officer and transported to Pierce County Jail. The bikes were returned to their rightful owners and Buckley was trespassed from the property by the landlord. The acquaintance provided police with a photo of Buckley riding one of the bikes in the yard, after Buckley had attempted to get into her residence.

At 8:56 p.m., dispatch relayed to RF police that Minneapolis Airport had reported a laser pointed at a commercial aircraft; the laser was coming from the northwest corner of River Falls. Minnesota State Patrol Aircraft was in the area attempting to locate the person shining the laser, which had been narrowed down to Mound View Road and Benson Street. Police located a four-door sedan parked on Benson Street. A man next to the vehicle, identified as Nicholas James Link, 41, said he was shining the laser at what he thought was a drone. Minneapolis Air Traffic Control said someone had been shining a laser at several commercial aircraft. Lasers can be distracting to pilots and cause severe injury. Link, who was cooperative, was arrested for disorderly conduct and transported to St. Croix County Jail.

Saturday, Oct. 30

At 12:49 p.m., police were dispatched to Windmill Apartments at 914 S. Main St. where someone was attempting to enter a residence through a patio door. A man identified as Alexzander Xavier Gonzalez, 18, Willmar, Minn, had crawled over the fence onto the complainant’s patio and tried to get in the residence. He was intoxicated and had trouble standing or walking. He gave officers a fake Iowa ID and said he was in town “to party” for Halloween. Officers took him to the police station where he was cited $187 for underage drinking. During the booking process, he became belligerent and combative. Officers eventually arrested him for disorderly conduct and transported him to Pierce County Jail.

Police responded to a two-vehicle crash at 2:03 p.m. at North Main Street and Quarry Road between a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, driven by Taylor Kristine Karge, 26, New Richmond, and a 2020 Ram 1500, driven by Nathan David Garavalia, 45, River Falls. Karge was traveling north on Main Street south of Quarry Road when she looked down at her phone and struck the back end of Garavalia’s truck, which was stopped at a red light. Both drivers wore seat belts; Karge reported no injuries while Garavalia reported possible injuries. Garavalia’s truck had minor damage; Karge’s vehicle had to be towed due to disabling damage. Karge was cited $111.40 for inattentive driving.

Police were notified of a vehicle vs. deer crash at 6:47 p.m. on Highway 35 just north of Highway 29. A 2013 Volkswagen Jetta, driven by Cooper Archer Larson, 23, River Falls, struck a deer, causing functional damage to the vehicle. Larson wore a seat belt and reported no injuries.

Officers responded at 8:14 p.m. to Family Fresh (303 S. Main St.) where a woman was reportedly wandering the store and making messes everywhere. She had opened items in the store and attempted to leave without paying for them. Police found her standing in the parking lot next to a truck. She seemed confused and was making no sense. Police identified her as Layne Elizabeth Poppovich, 24, River Falls. It was clear that she was intoxicated; she registered a .17 PBT. She was apologetic and embarrassed, and said she had lost her belongings while out drinking. Poppovich was trespassed from the store, and her mother paid for the items she had opened/wrecked. A good Samaritan turned in her belongings to police after finding them downtown.

Marshall Howard Skule, 68, River Falls, was arrested for OWI after a traffic stop at 8:24 p.m. for running a red light at Division and Main streets. When police spoke with Skule, a moderate alcohol odor emitted from the vehicle and he had bloodshot, glassy eyes. Skule, who registered a .18 PBT, failed field sobriety tests. He was booked at the police station and released to a sober party. He cited for OWI-first and operating with PAC.

Officers responded at 10:35 p.m. to Emma’s Bar (222 S. Main St.) for a reported assault. When police arrived, a crying woman reported being assaulted by another woman at the bar. She had a small scrape on her right knee. The bouncer said the woman began arguing in the middle of the bar and when the victim turned to walk away, the aggressor yanked her to the ground by her hair, where they wrestled until the fight was broken up. Police were unable to locate the suspect and the victim was uncooperative in providing information.

Michael Donovan Dukart, 32, was arrested for OWI after a traffic stop for speeding at 11:37 p.m. near Main and Church streets. When the officer pulled over Dukart, he smelled of alcohol, had bloodshot, glassy eyes and a bottle of open liquor near him. After failing field sobriety tests, he consented to a blood draw due to having breathing problems. He was arrested and cited $861 for OWI, $98.80 for speeding and $187 for possess open intoxicants in motor vehicle – driver. Police released him into the care of a sober person.

Sunday, Oct. 31

A complainant reported a rolling domestic at 3:14 p.m. that he and his wife witnessed as they were leaving the Family Fresh parking lot. The caller said the driver was choking a female passenger and the vehicle was swerving all over the road. The passenger door was open as if the woman was trying to get out. The vehicle was speeding and the tires squealing. A Pierce County deputy was able to stop the vehicle south of town heading toward Ellsworth and the two people were separated. The man had a bleeding cut on his hand and the woman had a swollen, bleeding lip. The woman said the man, identified as Jeffrey Lee Johnson, 28, Hammond, had slapped her after she threw coffee on him. They were fighting over his belief that she is cheating on him; he saw her talking to her neighbor while they were trick-or-treating in Hastings. Johnson was arrested for domestic battery and transported to Pierce County Jail.

Monday, Nov. 1

At 9:40 a.m., police responded to 320 N. Second St. where a complainant heard screaming on the second floor. When police arrived, they heard a woman shouting profanities. Jennifer Lynne Javner, exited the apartment and told police to leave her alone. She ignored commands to stop and left the building. Officers detained her about two blocks away near Second and Maple streets. Because she was resisting and shouting, police had to take her to the ground and handcuff her. Javner violated bond conditions by having contact with the resident at that apartment. She was arrested for felony bail jumping, disorderly conduct and resisting or obstructing an officer and transported to Pierce County Jail.