Recently in Local News Category

The accident happened around 2:40 a.m.

According to the Star Tribune, three passengers were not wearing seatbelts and it is likely that the fourth passenger also was not wearing one.

A State Patrol accident reconstructionist called the crash "the worst he's ever seen in his life," said patrol spokesman Lt. Eric Roeske.

According to a relative, the wife was planning on leaving the husband.

The Star Tribune reported that police found the two bodies in the parking lot of Asia Chow Mein.

Next to the woman's body, police found a pet carrier with a cat inside, unharmed.

Police have not officially identified the victims, but public records say they are Jozef Franz Tomasovic, 66, and Natalia Jurjevna Tomasovic, 55.

According to Kare 11, the home was originally listed for $8.2 million and has seven bedrooms and 9,400 square feet.

KSTP reported that if the court appointed receiver can close the deal by April 30th, a couple will get the house.

The house sits on Lake Minnetonka.

According to WCCO, the driver was a 68-year-old man from New Mexico and the passenger was a 68-year-old man from St. Paul.

A little after 3:30 p.m., Roseville Fire and Allina paramedics were dispatched to the scene.

The two men were declared deceased upon their arrival.

The Pioneer Press reported that initial investigations have ruled out speed as a factor for the accident.

Police are unsure whether the men were wearing seat belts during the crash.

They were last seen leaving the girl's aunt's house on Thursday.

The Star Tribune reported that the girl's mother was afraid her father had taken her because she was planning on moving the girl, Eva'Anne Delpaso, back to her home in St. Paul.

The father, Ankker Delpaso, has a court order forbidding him to have unsupervised contact with the Eva'Anne.

Police located them when a citizen saw the news report and remembered two people who resembled them at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport.

Kare 11 reported that they were officially identified by a surveillance photo.

Police then learned they boarded a plane to Denver before heading to Salt Lake City, Utah.

According to WCCO, the complaint filed said that Jacoby Smith, 37, hit his girlfriend Tiesha Bell, 28, because she was blocking his view of the television.

All four of Bell's arms and legs were amputated years ago because of a childhood illness and neighbors said Smith was usually very caring by pushing her in her wheelchair and looking out for her well-being.

According to charges, Smith threw Bell to the ground and punched her in the face at least 10 times.

The Pioneer Press reported that Smith has since claimed that the dispute started over whether or not Bell was seeing another man.

"I had been dealing with her cheating on me," Smith said.

Smith said during the argument, he turned the television on and Bell proceeded to get really angry with him.

He said this was when she started to become violent with him.

Along with claiming she hits him with her wheelchair, Smith said, "she'll swing, push me down and choke me with her nubs."

Bell admitted that there was hitting on both sides and said she plans on marrying Smith.

Smith has been charged with fifth-degree assault, a misdemeanor, and interfering with a 911 call.

Hecker was taken into custody after he appeared in court Tuesday morning.

According to Fox 9, Hecker was given a 90 day stayed sentence, in which he had to act upon certain conditions.

On Tuesday morning, Judge Jay Quam determined Hecker did not meet those conditions, which included payment of spousal maintenance to Sandra Hecker.

Kare 11 reported that Quam said he wanted to "motivate Hecker to fulfill his obligations."

Hecker was taken to Hennepin County Jail.

Hecker will be going on trial for federal fraud charges on Oct. 18th, for which he has plead not guilty.

If convicted of those charges, according to the U.S. Attorney's office, Hecker will face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 20 years on each count of wire fraud.

Neither the victim or the man in custody's identities are being released.

According to the Star Tribune, the man is the only person being sought in connection with the murder.

Police arrested the man after chasing him in a Cadillac Escalade near Rasmussen Woods Nature Area south of Hwy. 169.

Kare 11 reported that a witness, Max Griensewic, said he heard gunshots and saw smoke coming from the nature center.

Investigators say Dakota Kohler-Lander, 21, jumped after Mall of America police officers approached him.

According to Kare 11, officers were responding to a report about a man with a knife before approaching Kohler-Lander.

Investigators are still trying to figure out whether the Kohler-Lander intended to fall or whether he was pushed.

Officer Mike Stehlik said there were surprisingly few witnesses at the scene.

The Star Tribune reported that Kohler-Lander was currently awaiting trial for a rape charge.

Earlier this month, there were two other deaths at the Mall of America.

According to police, in one incident, a man jumped from the seventh floor of the parking ramp trying to elude police after a traffic stop.

In the other incident, police found a man dead near the ramp and they believe it was a suicide.

According to Kare 11, Pohland had been feeling ill all week but still made it into work before taking a sick day on Thursday.

She briefly fainted at the station on Monday.

"She was just a force of nature," said Scott Libin, the station's news director. "She had no tolerance for excuses. She had no tolerance for pity or complaints. She was just all about going out and getting it done."

Pohland broke her neck in 1983 when she dove into the shallow end of a pool, leaving her paralyzed below the waist.

She did not let the fact that she was in a wheelchair hinder her reporting abilities.

"We covered the Saint Peter tornado together in 1998, and there was debris everywhere," said Brad Earley, a photojournalist who worked with her frequently. "And she made her way around just fine. The only thing that could stop Darcy and her wheelchair was six inches of snow."

WCCO reported that Pohland was an avid Minnesota Vikings and Golden Gophers fan.

She will be remembered for her love and passion for sports, figure skating, musical theater, and her cats.

"So full of energy. She was positive, argumentative, opinionated, smart, but probably most of all you could count on Darcy to always put her friends first," said Mim Davey, a good friend of Pohland.

Pohland was once asked what she hoped God would say to her once she reached the pearly gates.