01/05/23: Crime, Courts, Accidents & Incidents

• Arrested in Lyon County

The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office reported that McKinsey Scroggin, of Hartley, was arrested during a traffic stop on Dec. 31, near the intersection of 210th St. and Highway 182. Scroggin was charged with Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Speeding.

• Driving without proper licenses

A Clay County deputy initiated a traffic stop at 217 West 3rd Street in Peterson, at 1 a.m. on Dec. 26. It was found that Tommy Hartfield, 50, of Peterson, had a barred driver’s license.

He was charged with Driving While Barred, an aggravated misdemeanor; and Driving Under Suspension, Failure to File S.R. Insurance (DUS), No Insurance, No Driver’s License, Dark Windows and Failure to Display License Plate, all simple misdemeanors.

A traffic stop was conducted at 4:55 p.m. on Dec. 27 for a traffic violation. The report stated that Seth Callahan, 34, of Spencer, had a suspended driver’s license.

Callahan was charged with Driving Under Suspension, Speeding and Operation without Registration, all simple misdemeanors. He was released on bond.

• Arrested on warrants

Timothy Vanderhaag, 57, was taken into custody by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office at 4:38 p.m. on Dec. 26, for an active warrant for Violation of Probation. Vanderhaag was held on $300 cash bond.

Jeffrey Krowiorz, 34, was arrested at 9:54 a.m. on Dec. 27, on an active United States Marshal’s warrant from Plymouth County. The warrant was for Violations of Probation. Krowiorz was held in the Clay County jail for another agency.

Patrick Bishop, 39, was arrested 9:46 p.m. on Dec. 27, on an active warrant for Sex Offender Registration Violation, four counts. Bond was set at $5,000 cash or surety.

• Busy Christmas Eve for Paullina firemen

The Paullina Fire Department was paged at 6:10 a.m. on Dec. 24 to the AgState facility at 4551 Redwing Avenue, where fire and smoke were coming from the south end of the building. The AgState site manager advised firemen that a truck in the building had 4,000 gallons of propane in the tank. Several people living in the area were evacuated to the South O’Brien High School.

Authorities determined at approximately 9:30 a.m. that it was safe for residents to return to their homes. All that remained on fire was a trailer containing approximately 48,000 pounds of feed. Damage to the building and contents is estimated in excess of $1 million. Cause of the fire is under investigation.

Several area fire departments, law enforcement agencies, O’Brien County Emergency Management, and local businesses and residents provided assistance.

Paullina firefighters later that day responded to an alarm at the South O’Brien High School. There was no active fire, but steam or smoke was discovered in the weight room. Cause is believed to be a malfunction in a hot water radiator heating system.

The boiler system was shut down and school maintenance staff made repairs. Damage was limited to a pipe and water to be cleaned up. Paullina and Granville firefighters were at the scene for two hours.

• Dec. 23 blizzard keeps deputies busy

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office was notified of an accident at 6 a.m. on Dec. 23. Rhonda Smith, 61, of Dickens, was westbound in the 2800 mile of Highway 18 when her 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander went into a snowdrift on the road. The vehicle began to spin and struck a 2007 Hyundai Tucson registered to Crystal Lopez, of Graettinger. The Lopez vehicle was stranded in the roadway after becoming lodged in a snowdrift.

Smith was not injured. Damage estimates were $10,000 for the Tucson and $8,000 for the Outlander. The report stated the investigation is ongoing.

The sheriff’s office responded to an accident at 9:55 a.m. Jaxon Wolff, 18, of Estherville, was driving a 2004 Nissan Altima southbound in the 2800 mile of Highway 71. Due to blizzard conditions he failed to see a 2016 Ford F150 driven by Wayne Enderle, 62, of Milford.

No injuries were reported. The collision caused $6,000 damage to the Altima and $2,500 damage to the F150.

Multiple vehicles were involved in another accident at 12:35 p.m. Steven Simonson, 65, of Spencer, was southbound in the 2800 mile of Highway 71 when he failed to stop his 2012 Chevrolet Impala before striking a 1990 GMC Sierra K1500 driven by John Ulveling, 55, of Spencer. Ulveling was attempting to stop due to a jackknifed semi that had lost control due to blizzard conditions and stuck vehicles.

Neither driver was injured. Damage estimates were $5,000 to the Impala and $250 to the Sierra.

A two-vehicle collision occurred in the 2800 mile of Highway 18, at 2:54 p.m. Deena Fries, 44, of Spencer, failed to see a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado K1500 driven by Joseph Quail, 50, of Spencer, which was slowing for a large snow drift that had formed across the road. Fries’ 2016 Jeep Wrangler collided with the rear of the Silverado.

No injuries were reported. Damage to the Silverado owned by Quail Construction was estimated at $15,000 and damage to the Wrangler was estimated at $1,800.

• Tractor, tank wagon go into ditch

The O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office reported that an iPhone detected a serious accident near 350th Street and Polk Avenue at 7:35 a.m. on Nov. 28. The phone owner did not respond to an emergency callback.

At the scene a deputy observed a Massey Ferguson S8740 tractor jackknifed in the ditch and split into three pieces. A manure tank had separated from the tractor. Craig Alan DeBoer, 29, of Archer, and his small child had gotten out of the tractor and were taken by private vehicle to Primghar MercyOne Medical Center, where the child was treated for minor injuries. DeBoer told authorities the child had slipped out of the small seat. The tractor fishtailed and before he could react, it and the tank wagon went into the ditch.

Damage was estimated at $600,000. This report was not posted until last week.

• Vehicle rolls onto its top

Eduardo Millan Herrera, 18, of Primghar, was northbound in the 4000 mile of Silver Avenue when he lost control of his 2004 Chevrolet K1500 Tahoe on the snow and ice-covered road. The vehicle crossed the centerline and rolled onto its top in the west ditch.

Herrera was not injured. Damage was estimated at $2,000. The O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office cited Herrera for Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability-Accident.