FAKE FEDERAL AGENT

Minnesota man with history of imitating police busted again

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota man with a history of pretending to be a police officer is accused in federal court of falsely claiming to be a federal agent. Authorities said in a complaint filed Friday that 52-year-old Reyel Devon Simmons, of Dodge Center, used the fake name “Rey Reeves” and regularly held himself out as a federal agent on social media. He had more than 10,000 followers on TikTok, including one woman from Georgia who began a romantic relationship with Simmons. The woman told investigators he regularly carried a handgun in a holster on his hip and carried a badge and law enforcement credentials. She was eventually alerted about the ruse by another TikTok user.

LAWMAKER ASSAULTED-WIFE CHARGED

Minnesota state lawmaker's wife accused of assaulting him

CHISHOLM, Minn. (AP) — A Minnesota state lawmaker’s wife is accused of hitting him with a broom handle and threatening him with a knife at their home on the Iron Range over the weekend. Charlotte A. Tomassoni is charged with misdemeanor domestic assault and booked into the St. Louis County Jail after the incident early Sunday evening. Her husband, David Tomassoni, is an independent who serves as president pro tem of the Senate. The Star Tribune reports that he called police after his wife repeatedly hit him in the chest with a broom handle at their Chisholm home. She later yelled down that if David came upstairs, she would stab him. Police say she “was slurring her words and appeared to be intoxicated." She denied the assault.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MINNESOTA

Minnesota virus hospitalizations reach highest mark of 2021

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota reached 757 patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 on Friday. The hospitalizations are the highest of figure of 2021 so far as the more contagious delta variant continues to pose a threat to the state’s handle on the virus. The total includes 230 patients in intensive care, which is the most since late December. Intensive care capacity has been hovering around 95% statewide in recent weeks, with regular beds nearly 92% full, according to state hospital capacity data. Essentia Health reinstated visitor restrictions at their facilities on Monday, citing increasing virus transmission.

POLICE SHOOTING-MINNEAPOLIS-NOOR-EXPLAINER

EXPLAINER: New charge unlikely for ex-cops in Floyd death

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the third-degree murder conviction of a former Minneapolis police officer won’t change the cases against the three former officers charged in George Floyd’s death. Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting manslaughter. Legal experts say last week’s ruling makes it highly unlikely that a charge of aiding and abetting third-degree murder would be added. The court last week threw out the third-degree murder conviction of Mohamed Noor, the former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot Justine Ruszczyk Damond in 2017. Noor remains convicted of manslaughter and will be sentenced on that count.

ABANDONED SUV-BODIES

Police: 4 people killed, left in cornfield died in St. Paul

MENOMONIE, Wis. (AP) — Police say four people whose bodies were found in an abandoned SUV in western Wisconsin were killed in St. Paul, Minnesota, where three of the victims lived. The St. Paul Police Department said Monday it would be assuming the lead role in the investigation into the deaths of Matthew Pettus, his half-sister Jasmine Sturm, and her boyfriend, Loyace Foreman III, all of St. Paul; and Nitosha Flug-Presley, of Stillwater, Minnesota. The victims’ bodies were found by a farmer in a cornfield on Sept. 12 in Dunn County, roughly 60 miles east of St. Paul. Authorities say all four had been shot. A father and his adult son have been arrested in connection with the deaths.

BICYCLIST KILLED

Bicyclist who died following crash near Chaska was ski coach

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the bicyclist who was struck near Chaska last month and later died. Sixty-six-year-old John Dyste was hit by a driver Aug. 31 near the intersection of county roads 40 and 11. Authorities have not explained the circumstances leading up to the crash. Dyste, of Carver, died Sept. 8 at Hennepin County Medical Center. Dyste was the nordic ski coach at St. Louis Park High School. Athletic director Andy Ewald says Dyste loved nordic skiing, his student athletes and sharing his knowledge about the sport.

WILDFIRES-MINNESOTA

Greenwood fire 80% contained, forest restrictions lifted

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) — Authorities say they have lifted fire restrictions for the entire Superior National Forest in Northern Minnesota after reports over the weekend that the Greenwood Lake blaze was 80% contained. Val Cervenka, a spokeswoman for the team managing the fire, said that while the region remains historically dry, officials don’t expect the fire to spread. It is not showing any flames, although some of its perimeter straddles inaccessible wetlands and full containment won’t come until snow falls. The Star Tribune reports that this past week crews continued to find and dig out hot spots along the fire’s edge and remove fallen or standing dead trees, including in the hard-hit McDougal Lakes area. Other work included sorting salvageable wood and fixing damaged roads.

LA CROSSE-CANOEISTS RESCUED

La Crosse fire department rescues 5 stranded canoeists

LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) — Authorities say members of the La Crosse Fire department rescued five canoeists who became stranded on the La Crosse River. Captain Greg Temp said rescue crews responded to a call shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday and found five people clinging to a tree in the water. WXOW-TV reports that the department used two of their inflatable boats to reach the canoeists and return them safely to shore. No injuries were reported. The La Crosse River flows into the Mississippi River in the city of La Crosse.

News from © The Associated Press, 2021