The following incidents were reported to River Falls Police Department April 27 through May 12.

Sunday, April 27

Police were dispatched at 2:40 p.m. to a hit and run at Sixth and Kennedy streets. A witness told police a red Mazda SUV had struck a utility pole and cable box in the yard of 1405 S. Sixth St. and left the scene. Police tracked down the driver, Joseph Patrick Rowley, 32, River Falls, at his residence. His vehicle had damage consistent with hitting a pole and its bumper was in the back seat. Rowley admitted to the accident and said he left the scene because he was embarrassed. Rowley attributed the crash to a broken tie rod/suspension malfunction. He was cited $187 for hit and run – property adjacent to highway.

Monday, April 28

• Police were dispatched at 4:04 p.m. to Meyer Middle School (230 N. Ninth St.) for a student assault. The student ran away from the scene, being chased by the two offenders. Officers met with the Black student at his home, where he told them he’d hit by two other students with a stick who were saying things like “back to the olden days” and other racial slurs. He showed police video of the incident, and the red marks left on his hands from the blows. The boy’s father said the harassment has been ongoing since they started middle school. One of the aggressors told police the victim had pinched him and another student earlier in the day, which annoyed him. Police counseled him and his parents on the seriousness of his actions, which could result in a disorderly conduct citation.
• At 8:50 p.m., police were dispatched to 125 ½ N. Main St. for stolen vehicle complaint. Kevin J. Black, 45, River Falls, reported his 2019 GMC Acadia, which had been parked on Main Street likely unlocked with the keys in front of the center console, had been stolen sometime after 8:15 p.m. OnStar located the vehicle in Eden Prairie, Minn., and put an engine block on the vehicle so it couldn’t be started again after it was shut off. Eden Prairie police arrested the driver, Patrick W. Davila, 33, River Falls, and booked him into Hennepin County Jail. He was found with a brown Glock 43x firearm, which did not belong to Black. Davila’s father told police he had stopped at their house but he didn’t know where he had gone. The vehicle was impounded for Black to retrieve.

Tuesday, April 29

At 4:45 a.m., an officer found a street sign laying in the road on the Main Street bridge that goes over Highway 35. At the scene, he also found debris from a silver Ford. After examining camera footage from the area, police identified the likely striking vehicle as a 2018 Ford Eco Sport belonging to Rebecca Ann Betlach, 31, River Falls. When they called her, she admitted to striking the sign after having too much to drink at Emma’s Bar. She left the bar when a friend failed to pick her up and tried to drive to Hudson. In the process, she also lost her left front tire. Since too much time had passed to perform a complete OWI investigation, Betlach received a stern warning for drinking and driving. She was fined $136.60 for operating left of center and $313 for failure of operator to notify police of accident.

Monday, May 5

• At 2:39 a.m. police were driving north on Main Street in the 600 block when a 2004 Toyota 4Runner, estimated to be going 60 mph, came speeding south on Main. It almost crashed head-on into the police squad but veered at the last minute. The vehicle continued speeding south in the oncoming lane of traffic, heading down the wrong traffic lane at the Main Street split. It blew through the intersection at Main and Maple before crashing head-on going 60 mph into a parked 2016 Ram 1500, owned by Lisa M. Owen, River Falls. The Toyota hit the truck so hard that it shot across the median, across the southbound traffic lane and into a legally parked 2014 Honda Pilot, owned by Sarah Marie Moeri, River Falls. The Pilot was hit so hard it was almost pushed into a building. Police approached the vehicle with guns drawn as driver Grant Ryan Buxengard, 20, Hudson, stepped out. He was highly intoxicated, swaying and had glassy eyes. He became agitated when police tried to give him a Breathalyzer, demanding repeatedly that they call his father. He said he was trying to get home to Hudson after drinking with friends. In the vehicle police found an open White Claw seltzer, an open bottle of vodka stuffed with a towel resembling a Molotov cocktail, marijuana shake and a bottle of unidentified alcohol. He was arrested and cited $136.60 for unreasonable and imprudent speed, $136.60 for operating left of center, $187 for possess open intoxicants in motor vehicle – driver, $250 for driving wrong way on divided highway, $986 for OWI and $187 for underage drinking. Police took him to the hospital for a blood draw and evaluation before being transported to St. Croix County Jail. His blood test revealed a BAC of .264. All three vehicles were towed due to disabling damage.
• At 3:44 p.m., police were notified of a hit and run at River Falls High School (818 Cemetery Road) that had occurred at 3 p.m. A 2017 Hyundai Sonata, driven by a 16-year-old River Falls juvenile, backed into a 2019 Kia Sportage, driven by a 17-year-old River Falls juvenile, while trying to get into the correct lane to exit the parking lot onto Lilac Avenue. The 16-year-old left the scene. He later told police he thought he hit and curb and didn’t see anything when he looked in his rearview mirror. Multiple witnesses said the crash was obvious and both vehicles rocked after impact. Both vehicles had minor damage. No injuries were reported. The 16-year-old was cited for failure of operator to notify police of accident.

Tuesday, May 6

At 5:30 a.m., a 2015 Kia Sorento, driven by Kyle Alexander Vanblaircom, 34, River Falls, struck a dear on northbound Highway 35 one-third of a mile east of Quarry Road. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage. No injuries were reported.

Wednesday, May 7

• Police were dispatched at 1:08 p.m. for a man wandering the neighborhood behind 126 West Cemetery Road. A man reported seeing another man urinating in a parking lot around 10 a.m. and he had returned to the area. Police located the suspect, Matthew S. Carroll, 38, River Falls, walking near Main and Foster streets. He was intoxicated and said he didn’t remember urinating in public. He was cited $124 for urinating in public and given a courtesy ride home.
• Officers responded at 6:47 p.m. to a two-vehicle crash on North Main Street south of Powell Avenue between a 2003 Oldsmobile Alero, driven by Winter Grace McIntyre, 27, River Falls, and a 2020 Chevy Trax, driven by Sarah Louise Repischak, 20, Waterford, Minn. Dispatch overheard McIntyre telling Repischak she didn’t want police called and had had a few drinks. Officers conducted field sobriety tests and McIntyre, who smelled of alcohol, registered a .084 BAC. She said she’d had a couple of White Claws while eating dinner at Broz. She also said she rear-ended Repischak’s vehicle in stop-and-go traffic while changing a song on her phone. Both vehicles had minor damage. No injuries were reported. McIntyre was arrested and cited $124 for operate without valid license and $500 for OWI-second.
• Police were dispatched to a two-vehicle crash at 8:55 p.m. in the parking lot of 421 S. Main St. between a 2013 Chevy Silverado, driven by Larry Michael Lemler, 59, Hager City, and a legally parked 2015 Jeep Patriot, driven by Emily Elise Anderson, 18, Hudson. Lemler, who had a trailer attached to his truck, backed the trailer into Anderson’s parked vehicle. The Jeep had minor damage. No injuries were reported.

Thursday, May 8

• Officers responded to a structure fire at 1:59 a.m. at 1041 State St. #49 where dispatch advised children were potentially trapped. Police observed smoke coming from the west end of the building when they arrived. Apartment #49 had smoke pouring from the top of its door and flames visible. Police kicked in the door to the apartment above #49 to make sure no one was inside; then they began evacuating other apartments. Austin James Sabot, 22, River Falls, said the fire started in his apartment. He believed a lighter in his jacket pocket had exploded. He had had a cigarette butt in his pocket, along with a charging block, lighter and Kleenexes. He also said he does powder painting, so residual chemicals on the jacket may have been more combustible. He was not injured in the fire and all residents were evacuated. However, one of Sabot’s cats died in the fire; the other one was breathing after receiving some oxygen. A River Falls officer had to be evaluated for smoke inhalation. Firefighters found significant smoke damage throughout the apartment and confirmed that the fire had originated in the living room area, near the closet where Sabot's jacket was hanging.
• At 9:30 a.m. police were informed by River Falls City Hall employees of a college student who had voted twice in the Spring election: once at UW-River Falls and once by absentee ballot mailed from her home in Genoa City. After interviewing the student, police learned the student’s stepmother had filled out an absentee ballot for her and had her sign it because she wanted her to vote on a local referendum. When the student went to UWRF to vote, she didn’t realize she was voting in the same election, she said. The stepmother confirmed she had filled out her stepdaughter’s ballot and sent it in. The case remains under investigation.
• At 10:30 a.m., a 2024 Chevy Blazer, driven by Jean Ann Wenisch, 80, Prescott, struck a deer on Highway 29 just north of Sunview Drive. The Chevy had functional damage. No injuries were reported.
• Police arrested Michael J. Smalley, 42, Cornell, for a warrant and probation hold at 585 ½ S. Wasson Lane. He was staying in a house with small children, which is not allowed as he is a registered sex offender. He told officers he stayed at a hotel, but police learned through interviews that he had been staying there without permission from his agent.
• At 8 p.m., police were notified of a hit and run that occurred at 9 p.m. May 7 at Elm and Fremont streets. An unknown vehicle struck the driver’s side mirror and left front quarter panel of a 2012 Volkswagen CC, owned by Christopher J. Fox, Stacy, Minn. The vehicle had functional damage. The suspect is unknown.
• Police were dispatched at 9:40 p.m. to 117 N. Fourth St., a sober house, for an intoxicated man who refused to leave. Jeremy Eugene Ealy, 41, Hager City, had been staying at the house for about two weeks. The house has a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol use due to residents being in recovery. Ealy admitted to having three drinks, which violate his probation conditions. A BAC revealed a result of .283. Ealy was arrested for a probation hold and resisting or obstructing an officer before being transported to Pierce County Jail.
• Charles Michael Finley, 33, River Falls, was arrested and cited $850 for OWI-third after a traffic stop at 10:09 p.m. at Second and Walnut streets. Police witnessed Finley driving on North Main Street in the center turn lane for quite a distance without attempting to make any turns. He also weaved in his lane and stopped for several seconds at a green light. He and his brother told police they’d come into town to get beer after drinking a “few strong beers.” Finley refused to perform field sobriety tests or submit to a PBT, so he was taken to the hospital for a blood draw. He was later transported to Pierce County Jail since no sober party was available to pick him up.

Friday, May 9

• Police were dispatched at 10:21 a.m. to C&R Gun Store (117 E. Pine St.) for a firearm theft. The owner was informed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms that one of his guns, which should be in the store, had been recovered. The Glock 43x 9mm handgun hadn’t been seen since April 17; it was a prize for a raffle winner. The gun, three magazines and speed loader were missing from its case. The gun had been found in the possession of Patrick W. Davila, 33, River Falls, where he was arrested April 28 for stealing a vehicle in River Falls. When police showed store staff a photo of Davila, they remembered him being in the store a couple weeks prior.
• Officers responded at 1:18 p.m. to a neighbor dispute involving potential vehicle vandalism at 1453 Emory Circle. The complainant reported having ongoing issues with her neighbor, alleging he had deflated her tire the previous night. She also pointed out scratches over the right rear wheel well and a chip in the driver’s side windshield. She believed her neighbor was responsible for the damage. She mentioned previous police reports filed of him placing a fire pit on freshly laid grass and trespassing in their garage. She provided police a screenshot of a text exchange in which the neighbor admits to another neighbor that he deflated her tire. Andrew Thomas Schweiss, 35, River Falls, admitted to letting the air out when he was intoxicated and said he was sick of the neighbor yelling at his kids. He was cited $187 for disorderly conduct.
• A 16-year-old Ellsworth juvenile was cited $187 for disorderly conduct after cutting off another driver at Johnson and Main streets and threatening to “beat her ass” when she honked at him.
• Police responded to a two-vehicle crash at 4:34 p.m. at Main Street and Quarry Road between a 1999 Subaru Forester, driven by Sebastian William Bowden, 18, River Falls, and a 2008 Buick Lucerne, driven by Courtney Mae Montgomery, 31, Browntown. Montgomery was stopped facing northbound at the traffic signal when Bowden rear-ended her. He said he was distracted by a truck in the Dollar Tree parking lot. The Subaru had no damage while the Buick had minor damage. Bowden two passengers, ages 16 and 17, reported no injuries. Montgomery and passengers Michael Lee Montgomery, 63, Browntown; Linda Mae Montgomery, 59, Browntown; Janet Kay Montgomery, 61, Browntown; and a 10-year-old Browntown juvenile reported no injuries.

Sunday, May 11

• At 2:39 a.m., police were dispatched for suicidal subject who was missing, allegedly walking on pathways along the river near the UW-River Falls campus. The woman in question had been making comments over Snapchat about ending things and being with family by morning. They found her sitting on a bench by the Amphitheater, after using a drone, phone pinging and friends’ statements. The woman said she was upset because her sister had attempted suicide that day but she was not considering it herself. She just wanted to be alone to process her thoughts. After speaking with Northwet Connections, police transported her back to her dorm room to be with her roommate.
• Police were dispatched at 3:01 p.m. to a home in the 1500 block of West Maple Street for an out-of-control juvenile. The juvenile became upset when asked to do something. Her mother told her to go outside and cool off; when she returned, her mother brought her some snacks, which she threw at her. She also shoved her mother into a door. She was arrested for disorderly conduct and transported to Pierce County Jail.

Monday, May 12

Police responded to a two-vehicle crash at 7:35 a.m. at Division and Grove streets between a 2013 Ford F250, driven by Gregory Martin Florcyk, 62, Spring Valley, and a 2019 Chevy Cruze, driven by Jonathan James Hedeen, 34, River Falls. Both vehicles were heading west on Division Street. Florcyk rear-ended Hedeen, who slowed for a vehicle in front of him turning left. Florcyk said he was distracted by a street sweeper heading past. Florcyk’s vehicle had minor damage, while Hedeen’s vehicle had functional damage. No injuries were reported.