News Room Archive

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SOUTH DAKOTA HIGHWAY PATROL ROLL CALL
PERIOD ENDING 4/7/12

Fatalities	3	DUI Arrests	58
Injury Accidents	17	Felony DUI Arrests	2
Non-Injury Accidents	26	Misd. Warrants Served	17
Misd. Drug Arrests	36	Felony Warrants Served	2
Felony Drug Arrests	5	Other Felony Arrests	0
Overweight in excess of 5,000 lbs.	1	Drivers Placed Out-of-Service	25
Vehicles Placed Out-of-Service	43

ABERDEEN DISTRICT

April 2nd:

Trooper Carda gave a safety presentation to the Driver Education Class at Aberdeen Central High School. He spoke about the importance of wearing seatbelts and following the rules of the road.  He also discussed the dangers involved with speeding, texting while driving, and DUI. The talk was well received.

April 5th:

Troopers Carda and Olauson gave a safety presentation to teachers and staff at Aberdeen Roncalli High School regarding the signs of drug impairment. The talk was well received and several good questions were asked by the audience.

Troopers Tedder and Holman participated in a docudrama at Webster. The Webster and Waubay schools participated in a scenario portraying a fatal traffic crash that involved alcohol.  The students were able to witness the crash investigation from beginning to end, including the arrest of the driver for DUI and vehicular homicide. They also witnessed a funeral for the deceased individual.  At the conclusion of the scenario, a local attorney talked to the students about the legal consequences impaired driving. The Day County Sheriff’s Office, Day County Emergency Management, Christensen Ambulance, Careflight, Webster Police Department, Webster Fire Department, and Coester Funeral Home assisted with the event.  

April 6th:

Trooper Tedder stopped a vehicle on a rural Day County road after the driver nearly struck his patrol car. Following a DUI investigation, the 17-year-old driver, who was wearing a 24/7 bracelet, was placed under arrest for DUI and underage consumption of alcohol.  A passenger in the vehicle was cited for underage consumption of alcohol. During the investigation, Trooper Tedder learned that the third person in the vehicle had furnished the alcohol to the two minors. The third person was charged accordingly.

Trooper Carda investigated a hit-and-run crash in Aberdeen. He discovered the identity of the driver who fled the scene and discovered that she had an active arrest warrant issued from Jerauld County.  Trooper Jensen and Sergeant DeVaney searched several locations in Aberdeen for the vehicle. They found the vehicle parked in an alley behind a residence and made contact with the driver.  She was subsequently taken into custody for the warrant and transported to the Brown County Sheriff’s Office.  She was also charged with several violations in reference to the crash.

 

The Huron Squad and the Spink County Sheriff’s Office conducted a sobriety check in rural Spink County.  

April 7th:

Trooper Olauson stopped a vehicle for an equipment violation in Brown County.  An investigation revealed that a passenger in the vehicle had two outstanding felony arrest warrants issued from Missouri for possession and distribution of amphetamine and identity fraud. The passenger was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Brown County Sheriff’s Office.

Trooper Tedder assisted the Webster Police Department with a vehicle stop in Webster. He noticed signs of impairment and conducted a DUI investigation on the driver.  The driver was subsequently placed under arrest for DUI drugs.  A search of the vehicle revealed 3.057 ounces of marijuana and drug paraphernalia items. Neither the driver nor the passenger claimed ownership of the items. During the investigation, the passenger gave Trooper Tedder and the Webster police officer a false name. The passenger was also placed under arrest. Both the driver and passenger were charged with possession of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The passenger was additionally charged with false impersonation. Trooper Carda conducted a DRE evaluation on the driver and determined that he was under the influence of cannabis and CNS depressants. 

Trooper Lantz stopped a vehicle for a stop sign violation on SD 1804 in Sully County. Following a sobriety investigation, the driver was arrested for DUI, driving with a revoked license, and a stop sign violation.  It was also revealed that a male passenger had a misdemeanor warrant issued from Pennington County and a female passenger had a misdemeanor warrant issued from Walworth County. A vehicle inventory revealed a plastic bag containing raw marijuana belonging to a female passenger.  She was placed under arrest for possession of marijuana and minor possession/consumption of alcohol. Troopers Kvistad, LaFramboise, and a Sully County deputy assisted at the scene. 

                                                                                                                          

Troopers Lantz, LaFramboise, Kvistad, and a Pierre police officer conducted a sobriety checkpoint in Hughes County. 

Trooper Gruman stopped a vehicle for speeding in Watertown.  An investigation revealed that the driver had been drinking.  He also had synthetic marijuana and drug paraphernalia in his vehicle. The individual was arrested for several drug charges, driving with a suspended license, and speeding.

Trooper Norman stopped a vehicle for a moving violation in Roberts County.  Following an investigation, the driver was arrested for a DUI.  A passenger in the vehicle was taken into custody on three misdemeanor warrants issued from Roberts County for failure to pay fines.

SIOUX FALLS DISTRICT

April 2nd:

Troopers Eberhart and Renteria responded to a two-vehicle, injury crash on a gravel road approximately three miles northwest of Tyndall.  Two young drivers were playing “tag” when the driver of the southbound vehicle stopped and attempted to turn around on the narrow gravel road and was struck by the northbound vehicle.  All three females in the southbound vehicle received minor injuries and were transported to St. Michael’s Hospital in Tyndall.  The driver of the southbound vehicle was charged with careless driving.

Trooper Renteria responded to a one-vehicle, rollover crash two miles east of Mission Hill. Upon arrival he observed a Chevy pickup on its top in the east ditch. The driver was not present at the scene. Trooper Renteria began to search for any injured occupants after observing a large blood stain on the windshield and a 12-pack of beer inside the vehicle. A short time later, Trooper Renteria located the male driver walking 1 ½ blocks from his residence in Mission Hill. Medical assistance was provided to the injured man and he was transported to a local hospital.  Trooper Renteria placed him under arrest for 4th offense DUI, failure to report an accident, open container, and no seatbelt.

Trooper Matheny responded to a fatal crash three miles east of Madison on SD 34. A semi-tractor trailer had turned east onto SD 34 and was beginning to speed up when an eastbound van collided with the rear of the trailer. The driver of the van was fatally injured. The crash remains under investigation.

April 4th:

Trooper Schmiedt investigated an injury crash on a gravel road near Kimball.  A female driver lost control of her vehicle.  She applied the brakes and overcorrected causing the vehicle to roll over.  Yaw marks indicated a speed of 70 mph.  She was cited for overdriving road conditions.    

April 5th:

Trooper Nelson investigated an injury crash at the intersection of 9th Street and US 281 in Armour.  The driver of a Dodge van, traveling west on 9th Street, failed to stop at the stop sign and struck a semi traveling north on US 281. The driver of the van was ejected from his vehicle.  He received serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the Armour Hospital.  He was issued citations for failing to stop at a stop sign. The driver of the semi was not injured.

Trooper Podzimek investigated an injury crash on a gravel road approximately three miles south of Wagner.  The driver of a northbound Chrysler Sebring lost control and the vehicle causing it to enter the east ditch. When the driver tried to correct the skid, the vehicle entered the west ditch and rolled over. The driver was not wearing a seatbelt and was partially ejected during the rollover. He received serious injuries and was transported to the Wagner Community Hospital.  He had been drinking alcohol and was arrested for 2nd offense DUI, careless driving, and no seatbelt. The female front seat passenger was wearing a seatbelt and received minor injuries.

April 6th:

Trooper Vargas stopped to assist a motorist south of Brookings on I-29.  Upon contact with the occupants, it was discovered that they had been ingesting incense. Eight pouches of incense and two glass pipes were seized. The three occupants were arrested. One occupant was currently on probation for a previous charge of ingesting and possession of a controlled substance.              

Trooper Heinrich investigated a single-vehicle crash south of Colome.  The vehicle went off the road and vaulted.  The occupants fled the scene. The driver and one occupant were later located in South Dakota.  The other three occupants were located in Springview, Nebraska.  All occupants suffered minor injuries.  The driver was arrested for DUI.

Trooper Heinrich investigated a two-vehicle crash on I-90 near Kimball.  The driver of a Ford 500 was passing a GMC pickup when high winds blew off a slide-in camper attached to the GMC pickup.  The camper clipped the Ford 500 and sent it skidding into the ditch.  The driver of the Ford 500 received minor injuries.  Trooper Biehl assisted with the investigation.

April 7th:

Trooper Peterson investigated an injury crash south of Mitchell on 409th Avenue.  A pickup entered the west ditch and rolled over. The driver received minor injuries and left the scene. He was later located at his residence and was subsequently arrested for DUI, hit-and-run, and no seatbelt.

Sergeant Schmidt stopped a vehicle near Hartford on SD 38.  He noticed the vehicle had extensive front end damage and was driving on its tire rim.  The 19-year-old female driver was extremely intoxicated.  Trooper Jensen was called to take over the investigation and arrested her for DUI. 

RAPID CITY DISTRICT

April 2nd:

Troopers Bock, Hall, Regan, Sergeant Kinney, and Recruit Moser responded to an injury crash near New Underwood on I-90. A strong wind gust caught an empty tractor- trailer and tipped it over onto its side. It slid down the interstate into the cable guardrail and then into the ditch. The driver suffered only minor injuries and declined medical assistance.  The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene.

April 4th:

Trooper Adam responded to a one-vehicle rollover crash on Sidney Stage Road in Piedmont. The female driver suffered minor injuries and was transported to the Rapid City Regional Hospital.  She was arrested for DUI.

April 5th:

Trooper Thomas responded to an injury crash on Bear Butte Road.  A driver lost control of his Toyota Corolla on the gravel road and rolled the vehicle.  Both the driver and passenger were wearing seatbelts.  They were treated for injuries at the Sturgis Hospital.  The Meade County Sheriff’s Office and the Sturgis Police Department assisted at the scene.

April 6th:

Trooper Mann arrested a driver for traveling 110 mph in the posted 55 mph on I-190 near Rapid City.    

Trooper Schroding was dispatched to a fatal crash in front of Sonny’s Supermarket in Hot Springs. The driver parked in the parking lot and exited her vehicle, possibly leaving the vehicle in gear with the engine running. The vehicle began to roll backwards and the opened driver side door struck the driver knocking her to the ground.  The vehicle continued to roll and fatally injured the driver. The vehicle rolled out onto US 18, made a U-turn, and came back into the parking lot where it collided with an unoccupied parked Dodge Durango. Trooper Albertson assisted and mapped the scene.  The Fall River County Sheriff’s Office and the Hot Springs Police Department also assisted at the scene. 

April 7th:

Troopers Hamar and Schopp assisted the Jackson County Sheriff's Office with a traffic checkpoint in Jackson County.  

MOTOR CARRIER

April 2nd:

 

A truck pulling a manufactured home entered the truck checkpoint located five miles north of the Dell Rapids exit on I-29. A strong wind advisory had been issued but the driver proceeded to operate contrary to state law.  Inspector Lentz discovered that the driver had not obtained a permit and also had a warrant issued from Georgia for failure to appear. 

Inspector Lentz conducted a post-crash Level 1 inspection on a semi-truck trailer that was involved in a crash with a van in Madison.  The crash resulted in a fatality.

April 3rd:

Inspector Erickson weighed a 7-axle vehicle hauling dirt at the 79 scale. He found it to be 5,620 pounds overweight.