Pioneer PINE CITY
THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2016
VOL. 131 NO. 30 www.pinecitymn.com $1.00
KID TO THE RESCUE: Seven-year-old helps stop escaping dock during last week’s flooding. P8
SUV rampages through tents in St. Croix park Sheriff reports that violent storm just before incident may have saved multiple lives STAFF REPORT NEWS@PINECITYMN.COM
An intoxicated man allegedly drove through tents and rammed campers with his SUV in St. Croix State Park in the early morning hours of July 24. According to the Pine County Sheriff’s Office, on Sunday, July 24 at 3:04 a.m., dispatchers received multiple 911 calls from the St. Croix campground. The callers reported that a male in a
white colored SUV had driven through the campground sites, smashing into campers and driving over tents. Fortunately, the severe storm that had just come through the area had caused people to leave their tents and seek shelter in their cars. According to the sheriff’s office, the storm is believed to have saved the lives of multiple people who would have been in the tents the SUV ran over. The callers told dispatchers that the
driver had abandoned his vehicle and fled into the woods on foot with a child. Deputies arrived on scene and found the suspect vehicle smashed into a tree in the campground area. A witness who had observed the whole incident pointed out to deputies where the male had fled. The suspect was located and arrested. The child that had been with the suspect was located with the mother. Deputies found multiple campsites with damage from the incident.
The incident reportedly started during a domestic dispute in one of the campsites. The driver then took the young child and fled. The child was transported to the hospital by family to be checked after the incident. No other campers were transported to the hospital. The driver was arrested for DWI and criminal vehicular operation charges and remains in custody pending formal charges by the Pine County Attorney’s Office.
Robbers use fake guns in Voyageur Park STAFF REPORT NEWS@PINECITYMN.COM
LANCE FURBER | THE PIONEER
Kids get close to nature at Chris’ Food Center A young timber wolf makes some new friends at Chris’ Food Center during a visit from the Minnesota Wildlife Connection on July 12.
The Pine County Sheriff’s Office reports that fake guns were used to carry out a real robbery in Pine City’s Voyageur Park on the night of July 21. At 8:51 p.m. on Thursday, July 21, sheriff’s office dispatchers received a report of a robbery in Pine City. The victim told the dispatcher that two males pointed guns at him at the Voyageur Park and then fled in a car. The victim and his brother were chasing the suspect vehicle when they called in. The suspect vehicle was located and stopped on Highway 70 near Highway 107 by officers from the Braham Police Department. During the arrest two fake handguns were located in the suspect vehicle. Two adult males were transported to the Pine County jail. The sheriff’s office reports that formal charges are pending.
Suspects arrested, charged with burglaries, thefts STAFF REPORT NEWS@PINECITYMN.COM
Two men have been arrested and charged in connection to a recent string of burglaries and thefts in the Pine City area.
The Pine County Sheriff’s Office reports that Brandon Bierbrauer, 19, of Lindstrom and Michael Mooney, 22, of Pine City have each been charged with multiple offenses of burglary, theft and theft of a motor vehicle. Bierbrauer has also been charged with a felony drug of-
fense. The two men were arrested on July 20. Formal complaints were issued by the Pine County Attorney’s Office against the two men on July 22. Bierbrauer and Mooney are charged with burglary in regards to a break
in and theft from the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints, the Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall and a private residence near Pine City. The sheriff’s office reports that during SEE BURGLARIES, PAGE 7
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