Crime and fire report: Suspicious man walking with sledgehammer turns out to be good Samaritan

By News Staff

April 24, 2023 at 12:41 PM

Thursday, April 20

9:30 a.m., Male, 78, residing along Pelican Lane in Detroit Lakes reported a Publishing Clearing House scam attempt.
11:28 a.m., Semitruck struck a light pole on McKinley Avenue and Frazee Street East in Detroit Lakes. No injuries were reported.
12:37 p.m., Fire reported along 465th Avenue, Ponsford. A trailer was fully engulfed when emergency assistance arrived. The cause is unknown and there were no injuries. On scene were the Becker County Sheriff’s Office, Carsonville Fire Department, Park Rapids Fire Department and Wolf Lake Fire Department.
7:57 p.m., Motor vehicle accident reported along County Highway 5, Lake Park. Male, 24, driving a 1997 Ford F-250 left the roadway, went into the ditch, struck trees and damaged a vehicle. No injuries were reported.
8:51 p.m., Fire reported along Mountain Road, Detroit Lakes. A tree was on fire. A nearby power line was suspected to have started the fire.
10:37 p.m., Suspicious activity was reported along Rattle Snake Circle in Waubun. An adult female was reportedly ringing doorbells and trying to gain access to apartments. White Earth Police Department officers were unable to locate the female.

Friday, April 21

7:03 a.m., Fire reported along County Highway 48 in Osage near Grant Street. Utility pole was located on the ground, and the wires leading to the pole were also down. Smoke was seen coming from the wires.
7:50 a.m., Frazee High School student reported a whiteboard in a locker room appeared to have bullet holes in it. Upon investigation it was noted the board appeared to be struck with a pointed object that left dents on the surface, but none of the dents had gone all the way through the board.
12:19 p.m., Adult male residing along County Highway 29, Detroit Lakes, reported receiving a call from the FBI. After hanging up, believing the call to be a scam, the alleged FBI agent called again and provided personal information about the Becker County resident.
2:30 p.m., Assault was reported at a residence along Washington Avenue, Detroit Lakes. A 33-year-old male was arrested.
4:03 p.m., Property damage to a dumpster was reported along Park Lake Boulevard, Detroit Lakes.
4:24 p.m., Theft was reported when an individual drove away without paying for gas at Food N Fuel along Barbara Avenue, Detroit Lakes.
5:11 p.m., Theft from a vehicle was reported along Cherry Hill Road, Detroit Lakes.
6:43 p.m., Fraud on Facebook Marketplace was reported as an individual was selling cloned cards.
7:33 p.m., Disturbance was reported as a female, 43, reported a male, 40, was threatening her with a club and attempting to kick her out of their residence along County Road 129, Ponsford. EMS was declined and parties were separated for the night.

Saturday, April 22

11:18 a.m., Theft of a cellphone was reported at the Boys & Girls Club Thrift Store on U.S. Highway 10. The phone was returned.
8:49 p.m., Roaming cows were reportedly on and adjacent to County Highway 34, Ogema.

Sunday, April 23

1:08 a.m., Traffic stop along County Highway 5, Lake Park, resulted in a DWI. Driver was a 42-year-old male.
9:04 a.m., Suspicious behavior of an individual in someone’s yard and possibly looking in a window was reported along Lake Forest Circle, Detroit Lakes.
12:25 p.m., Suspicious behavior was reported because an adult male was walking along U.S. Highway 10, Detroit Lakes, with a sledgehammer. The individual stated the sledgehammer was in the roadway and he removed the potential driving hazard from the road.
12:50 p.m., Suspicious activity was reported along 285th Street, Osage. A property owner found various items, including a dismantled gun and small boat motor, which do not belong to the property owner.
1:55 p.m., Theft was reported at the M&W Service Center, Ogema, when an individual failed to pay for gas.
4:03 p.m., Property damage was reported along Partridge Street, Audubon. Property owner believes locks to buildings were messed with and that someone tried to break in.
5:10 p.m., Assault reported at a residence along Shinab Trail, Ponsford. Female, 21, stated she was pregnant and got beat up by another female.
6:01 p.m., Suspicious activity was reported along Cherry Lake Road, Ogema. A white truck came onto private property. A man exited the truck and the caller reported what sounded like gunshots. More gunshots were heard after the male returned to the vehicle. Upon investigation, it appeared that someone shot a porcupine.