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03 28 14 JTF1     The latest from the Mendota Heights Police Department SUPPORT STAFF Kim Henning Trista Miller Lisa Brandt Becky Pentel POLICE OFFICERS Jerry Murphy Scott Patrick John Larrive Bobby Lambert Tanner Spicer Todd Rosse Jeff Vonfeldt Steven Meyer Denise Urmann Michael Shepard Peyton Fleming SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER Jennifer Fordham INVESTIGATIONS Mario Reyes Chad Willson SERGEANTS Neil Garlock Brian Convery Eric Petersen RESERVES Randy Pentel Jim Knox Jeff Parker George Castillo CHAPLAINS Frances Cuenca Joel Detlefsen Lynn Liberman Butch Millett Sue Plucker John Snider David Wick Lenny Andrie CHIEF Mike Aschenbrener MARCH 28, 2014 Involved in a Car Crash? Submitted By: Sergeant Eric Petersen Know what to do if it happens to you – keep these Ɵps in mind and share them with your family  members (especially new drivers).    If you are involved in a motor vehicle crash that results in personal injury, death or property     damage totaling $1,000 or more, you MUST file a report with the Department of Public Safety with‐ in 10 days by calling 911.  AŌer contacƟng 911, by law the involved driver involved must:  Stay at the crash site and exchange informaƟon, including your name, address, date of birth  and the license plate number of the vehicle you are driving,   Show your driver’s license if requested, especially to law enforcement (required),  Insurance informaƟon for the vehicle, including name and address of the carrier and the name of  your agent, must be provided to persons involved in the crash and to responding law enforce‐ ment. If your current insurance informaƟon is not with you, you must provide it within 72 hours.   If the vehicle or property you struck was unaƩended, leave a detailed note so that the owner  may get in touch with you to conƟnue the exchange of informaƟon.  Failure to follow any of these laws can result in charges under statute.    If your crash results in property damage only under $1000, it is NOT necessary to noƟfy law en‐ forcement.   It is recommended that you move your vehicles out of the lanes of traffic onto the  shoulder or side of the road, so as not to create further hazards by blocking the roadway.    It is true, when the weather warms up, crime increases. Crimes, especially theft crimes, start back up in the Spring, peak in the Summer and decline in the Fall. There are many reasons for this trend: Warmer the weather—this one is at the top of the list. Everyone is on the move and not deterred as much by snow or cold temperatures More vehicles are left outside, which increases the risk of theft from auto’s. Young people are home more on spring and summer breaks, and we tend to youth involved more as either offenders or victims. Heat can make people uncomfortable and angry and they take their aggression out on another person or object. Windows and doors are left open more, and sometimes forgotten more, which is an invitation for crooks with intent. The warmer it gets, the more people tend to drink alcohol, resulting in many dif- ferent crime related incidents. Continue to be vigilant with your home, vehicles , family and property. Anything in plain sight is tempting for someone who is in need of fast cash. Remind your family members of the importance of home and personal safety and security. 2     IT’S THE END OF MARCH ON MONDAY—THAT MEANS: THE NIGHTTIME PARKING ORDINANCE IS LIFTED EFFECTIVE 4/1/2014. NO FOOLIN’! WE HOPE THE ONLY PARKING ISSUES WE HAVE GOING FORWARD WILL NOT INCLUDE SNOWFALL. DWI Friday 0052 hours While on routine patrol, Officer Urmann observed a vehicle in front of her going at a slow rate of speed and then drift over the fog line. She stopped the vehicle and as the window rolled down, a strong smell of alcoholic beverage emanated from the vehicle. The male driver’s speech was slurred and he had bloodshot, watery eyes. He stated he was on his way home from Treasure Island Casino (clearly not his lucky day). The male was asked to step out of the vehicle to perform SFST’s which he was unable to complete. His vehicle was towed and he was transported to Dakota County Jail. Accident Saturday 0931 hours While entering a parking lot, a driver hit a patch of ice and became stuck in the snow. The vehicle was left there and soon after, another driver hit the same patch of ice, and headed into the same snowbank, striking the other car and pushing it in farther. The second driver left a note on the car and left the scene; soon all parties were reunited and information was exchanged. Missing Person/Runaway Saturday 1626 hours Officer Scott Patrick was dispatched to a home on a report of a runaway. Upon arrival he met with the juvenile’s mother who stated that her son had run away, again. The juvenile has a history of disciplinary problems and chooses to run away from confrontation versus deal with consequences. As of this date, the juvenile is still missing. For crisis resources and assistance, both parents & youth can visit: http://www.1800runaway.org/parents/tips/ Medical/Intoxicated Sunday 1850 hours Officer Peyton Fleming and Officer Michael Shepard responded to a home on a 9-1-1 hang up. Per dispatch, the husband stated his wife was having an out of body experience. Upon arrival, Officers were met by the intoxicated pair, him waiting at the door while she was laying on the kitchen floor. The two didn't seem to make much sense when asked basic questions and it was clear that the wife had some medical issues. The wife was transported on a hold to the hospital. Traffic Stop/Theft/False Name Monday 0135 hours Officer Denise Urmann and Officer Peyton Fleming were inside a local gas station when they heard a loud intoxicated male come into the store talking about ham and cheese. The male, who was with a female, locat- ed the sandwiches, heated two of them up and then proceeded to shove the sandwiches down his pants. However, when he went to pay, he only offered to pay for a rib sandwich. Officer Fleming asked the man if he had stuck anything down his pants; he stated no and gave the go ahead to check. Fleming was able to find one sandwich, but where in the world did the other one go?! The male paid for the sandwiches and was issued a citation for theft and transported to detox. In the meantime, an off-duty St Paul officer informed MHPD officers that a domestic was in progress in a vehicle outside. Urmann made contact with the driver of the vehicle who clearly smelt of alcoholic beverage and stated they were all just joking around. The name the driver gave came back not on file. He then gave another name and again, that name came back not on file. After several attempts in getting his real name, a live scan using his fingerprints was obtained and his real name was discovered. He was issued a citation for false information, arrested and transported to Dakota County Jail. Oh and the second sandwich was later found in the gas station bathroom. 3     Burglary Monday 2037 hours Officer Shepard responded to a report of a residential burglary. He soon learned from the homeowner that she had returned home, found the alarm panel was activated and scanned the exterior of the home before entering. She found the rear glass door broken and immediately called 911. Tracks leading from the front door to the rear were found, but it appeared the alarm scared the would-be thieves away and no entry had been made; all inside was intact. Neighbors were contacted to see if anyone saw or heard anything and to determine time of day. Extra patrols initiated. OFP Violation Tuesday 1519 hours A resident came into the lobby to report an OFP violation where the respondent had contacted family members. Officer Todd Rosse listened to the details of the incident and learned the contact, which did not occur in our city, was likely an accidental call and the respondent has simply dialed the wrong number. Report only. Found Property Thursday 0205 hours Officer Tanner Spicer responded to an address to pick up a found purse, but no ID was found, just a flip phone. Luckily the phone was active and owner information was located. The Richfield police were contact- ed to help make contact with the owner. Purse is in evidence for safekeeping. Civil Matter Wednesday 1352 hours Officer Bobby Lambert received a call from a business regarding a transaction that had occurred in our jurisdiction. Someone had ordered a product online, received the product, but did not pay for the product. Officer Lambert made contact with the buyer who informed him he had just mailed the items back, so no payment should be due. Follow-up pending. Civil Matter Thursday 0747 hours Officer Larrive was called to a local business to take an after-the-fact report of a female who attempted to use an un-activated credit card. The card was seized and the plate number was taken; the registered owner did match the name on the card. The party left to go get cash, but never returned. The manager did not wish to charge the incident as a theft, so the report will be considered civil. The credit card was put into evidence. DWI Thursday 1545 hours While participating in a Dakota County Traffic Safety Project in the city of Hastings, Sergeant Eric Petersen ran the plate of a vehicle in the lane next to him and hit on a vehicle whose plates should have been impounded. The picture of the revoked registered owner matched the current driver and a traffic stop was initiated. The driver pulled into a liquor store parking lot, blocking the entrance for patrons. Upon ap- proaching the driver, he could smell alcohol; when asked if he had been drinking, the driver stated, “No” (of course). After agreeing to sobriety tests, which he failed, he submitted to a PBT, which gave a reading of .134 BAC. He agreed to a blood test for the implied consent portion. The suspect had a prior DWI already in 2014 so he was arrested for Gross Misdemeanor/3rd Degree DWI, his plates were impounded, and he was booked into the Dakota County Jail. 4     A little too close to home— the 61 car pile-up that shut down the Highway 55 Mendota Bridge on Monday afternoon involved one of our own here at the MHPD, Chief Mike Aschenbrener. Chief Aschenbrener stated that he heard the State Patrol dispatched to a seven car crash at Hwy110 and Hwy 55 as he was heading on to the Mendota Bridge N/B. The Chief slowed to look for the crash and was then struck from behind, which ultimately pushed him into the front of that same car. For- tunately there were no life-threatening injuries from the wreckage. HealthEast paramedics treated 11 people at the scene and 8 were transported to the hospital. Mendota Heights Fire arrived to as- sist with the crash and, as the cars were pulled apart, removed everyone who was stuck in their cars without issue. MN DOT First units arrived with sign boards and quickly rerouted trafϐic. MSP Troop- ers handled the accident, MHPD ofϐicers assisted, including Sergeant Garlock, Ofϐicer Patrick and In- vestigator Reyes, while Metro Transit provided a bus for the victims to warm up in while they await- ed rides and transport. Marks & Chiefs Towing removed around 40 cars while the rest limped off. The crash was caused by two cars that lost control and crashed, causing a semi to jackknife. The weather was deϐinitely a factor this day as it had been snowing heavily, causing slippery conditions and distraction. Ultimately, people were driving too fast for the weather conditions, were following too close and were therefore unable to stop quickly in the middle of a bridge/highway. If you are involved in a crash on the freeway, it is advised to stay safely inside and seat‐belted until all vehicles around you are stopped or a police ofϐicer asks you to step out. In the case of a pile-up, it may be hard to know what to do, but consider how much safer you and your children are in your ve- hicle vs. being unprotected while you are exiting it or standing on the sidelines. In the case of this incident, it is amazing more people were not hurt. Catch the video at : http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/video?clipId=9980370&topVideoCatNo=237345&autoStart=true 5     Please send us your positive feedback on our staff to: pdrecords@ mendota-heights.com Your feedback is greatly appreciated and helps boost the morale of our staff. Have a Safe Week! If you are a Mendota Heights resident and you are going out of town or on vacation, you can notify MHPD of your outing and we will be more than happy to keep a watchful eye on your home while you are away. Make your House Check Request online at www.mendota-heights.com, visit us in the MHPD lobby to complete a form or call us and we will take your info over the phone. MHPD offers monthly Car Seat Safety Checks. To schedule an appointment, call 651.452.1366 to contact Ofϐicer Jennifer Fordham. MHPD has a Medication Disposal Box in the lobby of the PD where Dakota Coun- ty residents can safely and anonymously dispose of their prescription drugs and over-the-counter medication. 3/21—3/27 2014 YTD Calls for Service 129 1927 Citations 21 457 Warnings 39 213 Police Reports 12 208 Response Time Average 6.55 5.91 Sue Donovan, Manager of IT, has been working hard making updates to systems and has received much gratitude from the police department staff for her efforts. She has worked hard with vendors to tackle issues and make sure all systems are working well throughout the city. Thanks, Sue! The MHPD work space upgrades are nearly completed! Special thanks to PW friends John Boland, Rich Burrows, Jake Wittrock, and to Sergeant Garlock, Officer Larrive, Investigator Reyes & Becky Pentel for your helping hands. YOU ROCK!