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Nurse William Melchert-Dinkel of Faribault is charged with encouraging up to 11 strangers to kill themselves via chat room.

Melchert-Dinkel, 47, is allegedly addicted to online pro-suicide chat rooms and spent time in his Faribault home encouraging dozens of strangers to kill themselves and informing them on methods that would help them to do so.

Two charges against Melchert-Dinkel were filed in the aiding of suicide of Mark Drybrough, 32, hanged himself in Coventry, England, in 2005. He set up a webcam for Melchert-Dinkel to view as he hanged himself. Also, he encouraged Nadia Kajouji, 18, of Brampton, Ontario, to drown herself in 2008. She was a student at Carleton University.

Melchert-Dinkel faces up to 15 years in prison if sentenced, however, authorities say these laws are difficult to enforce.

"I believe a compelling argument can be made that not only are the charges unconstitutional but the underlying statute is unconstitutional," George Washington University Law School professor Jonathan Turley said.

Melchert-Dinkel's nursing license was revoked in 2008 after being negligent and rough with patients. Authorities have since started investigating his case.

"Nothing is going to come of it," Melchert-Dinkel said in October. "I've moved on with my life, and that's it."

Six people were killed in a head-on automobile crash Saturday night. Four of which have been named; Kelsee Blackledge, 15, Stephen Kendryna, 16, Travis Buchan, 17, and Travis Gryczkowski,21.

The 16-year-old driver Sabrina Schumacher is currently in serious condition at a nearby hospital.

Lieutenant Eric Roeske of The State Patrol said this accident is "the worst he's ever seen in his life," saying the vehicles were "completely burned up."

Eleven people have been killed in highway crashes this week, including the six in this crash.

"It's mind-boggling, it truly is," said Deborah Kendryna, mother of Kendryna-Whitefeather, 16, who died in the crash. "Why, God? Why?"

Corey Endl, 27, Wayne Gollmer, 40, and Lori Sobania, 50, all died in motorcycle related crashes in Wisconsin Saturday.

Endl had reportedly owned his bike for less than 48 hours before he was struck dead by a semi truck on Highway 85 in Dunn County Saturday.

Authorities say he is a Dunn County native.

Gollmer was reportedly not wearing a protective helmet at the time of his collision with a fence in Dane County.

William Sobania was driving Lori Sobania on a motorcycle northbound on Highway 35 when a vehicle drove into oncoming traffic, striking the two. Lori was killed and William was airlifted to the hospital.

William Sobania remains in critical condition.

Jeffrey Degn, 37, was found dead in the Crow River Sunday, according to McLeod county authorities.

A caller tipped off rescuers after reportedly seeing a red jacket floating down the river near Tartan Park. Degn was identified by his driver's license.

Degn fell into the river Tuesday, according to a witness.

The extensive rescue search involved sonar gear from Hennepin County. Boats and helicopters were used to try to find Degn this past week. Cadaver dogs were also used along the river to find Degn.

Pictures and videos of the Turkish flag and a gun were put up on Eden Prairie High School's Web site by hackers Sunday.

Administrators found out about the attack and the site has since been disabled.

The viral attack stuck more than 100 websites globally, according to the school's Web page.

The hackers left other technology systems and Web sites affiliated with the school district alone.

The school district is going to keep Eden Prairie's Web site down until all issues have been taken care of.

David Distad, a farmer from near Rochester, was walking home from his brother's home early Thursday to find a group of furry puppies in the ditch.

"It was a surprise," Distad told WCCO. "They were laying out here on the ground, running back and forth."

Distad then called the Rochester Paws and Claws Humane Society. Rachel Ramin and her manager made their way out to Distad's farm to tend to the stranded puppies.

"We just started wrangling them up, getting down, giving them happy voices, so they weren't scared to come to us," Ramin told WCCO.

She said the dogs were lucky to have been found when they were. They are planned to be up for adoption in a week.

Ham being sold at Kowalski's Markets have been put on voluntary recall as the meat might be infected with Listeria.

"Kowalski's Signature Smoked Ham" may have listeria, which causes listeriosis, a fatal disease that causes neck stiffness, nausea and possibly miscarriages.

KSTP reports that healthy people rarely contract listeriosis.

Lorentz Meats and Kowalski's are both recalling the ham with a sell-by date of 4/23 to 5/22. The USDA establishment number on the recalled ham is 21207.

The companies estimate no more than 100 hams to be affected by LIsteria.

Brittney Landsverk, 20, was in a car that plunged into the Cannon River, near Faribault early Friday morning but has yet to be found by rescuers.

Another passenger, Kami Krautkremer, tried pulling Landsverk out after the accident but she fell back into the car.

"I just can't let go of the fact that I was holding onto her hand and, like, I just can't let go of that. It just hurts me so much," Krautkremer said.

Rescuers spent all day Friday searching for Landsverk in a "laborious" effort to find the woman, according to Rice County Sheriff Richard Cook. The search was called off at nightfall.

The driver Mitch Bongers, 21, is in critical condition and two other passengers sustained injuries.

Passenger Alex Hruska was the one to go back for Landsverk.

"By that time Brittney just disappeared and i had no clue where she went," Hruska told KSTP. He said the water was too strong.

Rescuers have now employed search dogs to find Landsverk. Rice County officials hope to bring closure to Landsverk family today.

One woman was shot and killed in a Mankato park Sunday. Mankato police are calling the incident a "mysterious death."

A witness said he heard gunshots while walking through the park. He said he saw smoke coming from the park's nature center parking lot. The witness revealed at least one person had been shot through the windshield of a car.

A suspect in a Cadillac Escalade SUV was arrested after being chased to a dead end south of Blue Earth County Road 90.

The park closed Sunday to allow for the investigation on the shooting. No names have been released yet.

Christian Peterson, 22, was arrested Saturday night after fleeing the police while topping 130 miles per hour through Interstate Highway 94, going east through Dunn County, Wisconsin.

Peterson was going 98 miles per hour when the State Patrol tried stopping him, at which point he tore off to the exit onto Highway 29, reaching speeds of 130 miles per hour.

Peterson stopped at 29 Pines travel center in Chippewa County and to hide his helmet and jacket. He tried hitching a ride from a driver at the travel center. State Patrol later found his bike hidden behind a business building about a half mile away from 29 Pines.

Police caught him at the travel center and arrested him. Peterson was pepper sprayed to cease resisting arrest.

Peterson refused aid from paramedics called to treat his cuts he endured while resisting arrest.