06-May-2026

Attempted Murder Charge

A 72-year-old Merrifield man is facing attempted murder and assault charges after allegedly shooting his grandson on Sunday. Jonathan Berg is charged with attempted first-degree premeditated murder, first-degree assault–great bodily harm, second-degree assault–dangerous weapon–great bodily harm, second-degree assault–dangerous weapon, and threats of violence–reckless disregard of risk. According to the criminal complaint in the case, Berg is accused of shooting the victim in the buttocks and inner thighs with a 16-gauge shotgun with birdshot-type ammunition. The complaint says Berg and victim were involved in an altercation earlier in the day and the victim had struck Berg in the mouth .The victim and his mother, who is Berg’s daughter, both lived with Berg to help care for him. The complaint says Berg told the victim’s mother that he planned to shoot the victim when he returned home, and when the victim arrived at the home around 9 p.m., Berg shot him with the shotgun .Bail for Berg is set at $300,000 with conditions or $750,000 with no conditions. His next court hearing is an omnibus hearing scheduled for May 14.

06-May-2026

High Speed Chase And Arrest

A man faces felony charges after a high-speed chase through Hubbard County ended with his vehicle crashing into trees and bursting into flames. Dareine McCormick faces felony charges after a high-speed chase through Hubbard County ended with his vehicle crashing into trees and bursting into flames. A deputy tried to pull over Dareine McCormick around 11:38 a.m. Thursday, April 30, on 169th Avenue southeast of Park Rapids. McCormick’s driver’s license had been canceled, according to the Hubbard County Sheriff’s Office. Instead of stopping, McCormick sped away. The chase covered 16 miles, heading north on 169th Avenue, across County Road 107 and Highway 34, then north on County Road 4, according to the sheriff’s office. Speeds topped 100 mph. McCormick tried to turn onto Pine Lake Forest Road but lost control and slammed into trees. He ran into the woods, but deputies caught him quickly. When other deputies arrived, they found the Infiniti on fire. They put out the flames with fire extinguishers. Deputies say they found what appeared to be methamphetamine in the vehicle. Authorities got a search warrant for a blood sample, but McCormick refused to give one, according to the sheriff’s office. McCormick was booked into Hubbard County Jail on three felony charges: first-degree DUI-refusal to test, fifth-degree controlled substance and fleeing a peace officer.

06-May-2026

Murder Trial

A St. Cloud man accused of stabbing his wife to death has been found competent to stand trial. The defense team has also filed notice with the court that 23-year-old Dylan Tobler plans to use a Mental Illness or Deficiency defense in the case. Tobler is accused of stabbing his wife, 22-year-old Hallie Tobler, to death inside their south St. Cloud apartment before trying to kill himself. According to the criminal complaint, a witness went to the Tobler's apartment on February 7, 2026, because they had not heard from the victim, Hallie Tobler, since about 5:00 p.m. on February 3rd. The witness told police they knocked on the door for about 15 minutes before it was unlocked from the inside. The witness says once inside, they found Hallie Tobler dead in the bathroom, and Dylan Tobler in the living room, with injuries that appeared to indicate that he tried to kill himself. The complaint says that during a mirandized statement, when asked what had happened, Tobler stated that he was alone with Hallie and thought it was his fault she was dead, and he caused his own injuries. Tobler is charged with one count of 2nd-degree murder. No future court dates have been set at this time.

05-May-2026

Deputy Shot

An Itasca County deputy was shot Monday while responding to a call near Max, not far from Squaw Lake, according to the Itasca County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Joe Dasovich confirmed the deputy sustained a gunshot wound and is in stable condition. The deputy was  airlifted to a hospital in Duluth, The suspect involved is in custody. Authorities say there is no ongoing threat to the public. It is unclear what type of call the deputy was responding to when the shooting occurred. Per standard protocol, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has been called in to investigate. The Itasca County Sheriff’s Office says it is fully cooperating. No additional details are being released out of respect for the integrity of the investigation.

05-May-2026

One Vehicle Crash

One person was hurt in an early morning crash on Interstate 94 in Stearns County. The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened at about 5:00 a.m. on Monday in Avon Township. Twenty-four-year-old Gabriel Huerta of Bloomington was traveling west on the interstate when his vehicle rolled. He was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

05-May-2026

Roll Over Death

The Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office says a 40-year-old Dent woman has died after a pickup crashed and rolled in a field southwest of Perham. Deputies say they received a report of a motor vehicle crash with critical injuries on Saturday, May 2, at 6:00 a.m. Investigators say the woman, identified as Nicole Shoultz was ejected when the truck left the roadway and overturned in a field. A press release states Shoultz was taken to the Perham Hospital emergency room where life-saving measures were attempted, but she later died due to her injuries. Deputies say 33 year-old Allen Michael Alberts of Dent was later taken into custody on charges related to this incident. The crash remains under investigation, and The Perham Police Department and Minnesota State Patrol are assisting the sheriff’s office.

05-May-2026

Stamp Out Hunger

The 34th annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is this Saturday. The National Association of Letter Carriers and the National Rural Letter Carriers Association organizes the annual event. Stamp Out Hunger supports Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf and Salvation Army Food Shelf. According to Hunger Solutions Minnesota, more than nine million Minnesotans visited a food shelf in 2025. To participate, leave a bag of nonperishable food next to your mailbox on Saturday, and your letter carrier will handle the rest. This is the largest one-day food drive in the United States.