20-Aug-2026

Drug Bust

A Stearns County man faces felony charges after a large drug bust on Monday. The Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force has arrested 28-year-old Rodolfo Ramirez Jr. of Meire Grove on suspicion of 1st-degree drug possession. The task force was investigating the distribution of methamphetamine in central Minnesota when they made a traffic stop in Richmond. Authorities used a search warrant to search Ramirez' vehicle and allegedly found three-and-a-half pounds of methamphetamine inside. Ramirez was booked into the Stearns County Jail where he is being held for court. Stearns County prosecutors have charged Ramirez with one felony count of 1st-degree possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to the criminal complaint, Ramirez has a previous drug possession conviction in Stearns County from 2022.

 

 

 

 

20-Aug-2026

Gas Leak

A gas leak in downtown Fergus Falls prompted evacuations along a city block Wednesday after a construction crew struck a gas line, officials said. Fergus Falls police and fire departments said crews hit a 2-inch gas line in the 100 block of North Mill Street. Elevated gas levels were found inside nearby buildings, leading authorities to evacuate structures on the north side of Lincoln Avenue between Mill and Court streets. Great Plains responded and shut off the gas line near the leak. Fire crews are ventilating affected buildings and conducting continuous air monitoring, officials said. Great Plains expects gas service to be restored to downtown properties sometime Wednesday morning.

20-Aug-2026

Mailbox Damage

Police in Menahga are asking for the public’s help identifying a driver after numerous mailboxes were damaged along a city street. The Menahga Police Department said multiple mailboxes on 1st Street Northwest were struck late Monday. Officers collected vehicle parts left behind at the scene and believe the suspect vehicle has passenger-side damage. Police said they have identified the make and model of the vehicle based on part numbers, but are still working to locate the driver. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Menahga Police Department through its Facebook page or by calling dispatch. Tipsters can remain anonymous

19-Aug-2026

Fatal Car/Motorcycle Crash

A motorcyclist is dead after a two-vehicle crash in Benton County on Monday afternoon. The crash happened at around 4:15 p.m. at the intersection of 5th Avenue NW and 160th Street Northwest in Langola Township. The sheriff's office says Corey Popp of Rice was southbound on 5th Avenue in a pickup and was looking to turn left onto 160th Street NW. At the same time, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle ridden by Russell Hohmann was northbound on 5th Avenue, and the two collided in the intersection. Life-saving efforts were performed on Hohmann, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Popp was not injured. The sheriff's office says Popp did not see Hohmann coming due to an upward slope of the roadway. The crash remains under investigation with the help of the Minnesota State Patrol, but alcohol is not a factor in the crash.

19-Aug-2026

Fatal Motorcycle Crash

An Avon woman is dead after a motorcycle crash last Sunday evening. The Stearn County Sheriff's Office says that the Cold Spring-Richmond Police Department received a call at about 5:20 p.m. about a motorcycle rider who was overdue. A family member told police that 52-year-old Kelli Jo Gauthier had been riding her motorcycle with friends but left the group to go home. The caller told police the group searched for Gauthier for about two hours before calling authorities. The Sheriff's Office says around 6:00 p.m., a Cold Spring officer found Gauthier and her bike crashed in the ditch near the 25500 block of County Road 9 in Munson Township, about 1 to 2 miles north of Richmond. Paramedics attempted life-saving measures, but Gauthier was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.