behind the steele star - co.steele.mn.us newsletters/2012/newsletter___nov… · behind the steele...
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Sergeants Brian Bennett with K-9 Partner Chaos
Gary Okins Todd Schwanke Bill Youngquist
Investigator
Troy Matejcek
Deputies Milo Dahlin
Nicholas Donahue Chad Forystek Aaron Guzman Darrin Helget
Jim Holton Kari Kalow
Scott Kochendorfer Tony Padilla with
K-9 Partner Caesar Greg Skillestad
Mary Ulrich Brady Wolhart
Civil Process Tony David
Jeanne Willmott
Law Enforcement Center Records Staff Barbara Rupprecht,
Lead Renee’ Babcock
Cassandra Calandra Dianne Johnson
Questions/Comments
Contact The Steele
County Sheriff’s Office
at 507-444-3800 or
204 East Pearl
Owatonna, MN 55060
lon.thiele@
co.steele.mn.us
scott.hanson@
co.steele.mn.us
karen.meier@
co.steele.mn.us
County Website:
CLICK HERE
www.co.steele.mn.us
NOVEMBER 27, 2012 Volume 3, Issue 9
Behind The Steele Star
Steele County Sheriff’s Office
Lon Thiele, Sheriff Scott Hanson, Chief Deputy Karen Meier, Administrative Asst
SPECIAL DEPUTY PANCAKE BREAKFAST Sunday, December 9th is the date for the annual Pancake
Breakfast benefitting the Steele County Special Deputy
Unit. It will be held at the V.F.W. Club—135 Oakdale
Drive, Owatonna. The proceeds raised help to fund the
group’s training efforts and equipment purchases. Tickets
can be purchased from any member of the Special Deputy
unit.
D. A. R. E. GRADUATION
Pictured above: Sheriff Lon Thiele, Alexandra Combs, Summer Kath, Paige Pe-
terson, Jayna Domeier, Blake Ihrke, Kade Reese and D.A.R.E. Instructor, Deputy
Tony David.
The 2012 D.A.R.E. Graduation was held on Thursday, November 15, 2012 at the
Ellendale Middle School Gym. Sixty-Six Fifth grade students graduated from the
ten-week program. The students pictured above were selected to read their re-
ports at the ceremony. After the ceremony the students were treated to pizza
and refreshments.
Special Deputies Les Abraham, Coordinator
507-398-3284
Walt Barfknecht
Charlie Berg
Grant Brossard Chris Clark
Jack Dillemuth
Scott Dobson
Derek Drache
Gene Fisher
Christopher Gannon
Scott Jorgensen
Jeff Kirchner
Mark Kreutter
Andrew Kubista
Eugene Linse
Dave Macht
Randy Mahlman
Anthony Malepsy
Rich Mueller
Brandon Noble
Matthew Pace
Marty Rethemeier
Sean Robbins
Paul Schneider
LeRoy Schroeder
Mark Schultz
John Standke
Thomas Stockwell
Jodi Strand John Sweet
Mounted Posse Joe Schwering, Captain
507-528-2423
Ed Berryman
John Bowe
Maralou Brose
Jodie Briant
Michelle Darrah
Tine Donahue
John Gerold
Tim Hager
Tom Hager
Mike Haubenschild
Dan Hedberg
William Hildebrandt
Leon Kamrath
Mike Keinz
Kay Klemmer
Monte Mowry
John Mueller Del Mullenbach
Joyce Nelson
Duane Peltz
Barrie Peterson
Dawn Peterson
Lynn Pettis
Ethel Quimby
Marilyn Schwering
Tony Schwering
Troy Utpadel
Water Patrol Paul Hanson
Brandon Noble
Behind The Steele Star
“GOOD TIMES
SERVED”
ARTWORK BY
DAKOTA COUNTY
CORRECTIONAL
DEPUTY
JOE ENGESSER
KUDOS TO OUR DEPUTY WOLHART Late Saturday, September 22nd, deputies were called to a Steele County residence
on 92nd Ave. N.W. for a domestic. While at the residence, Deputy Brady Wolhart
found what was thought to be stolen property. Prior to the arrival of our Investiga-
tor, Deputy Wolhart took the initiative to verify the items were indeed stolen.
Donald Rezac was arrested and the investigation continues into the possibility of
additional property that has been stolen. That initiative on Deputy Wolhart’s part
has led to a good solid arrest and a strong case against Rezac. Deputies Aaron
Guzman and Greg Skillestad assisted.
Then on Thanksgiving morning around 2:20 a.m. Deputy Wolhart was on routine
patrol in Medford when he came across a burglary in progress at the RC Super
Store. Deputy Wolhart first observed an individual on foot. He then noticed sev-
eral boxes stacked next to a power pole by a yellow SUV that he could tell were
from the RC Super Store. Upon checking the doors of that business he found the
rear door standing wide open. He then observed the yellow SUV driving away and
pulled it over. Found in the vehicle was a pry-bar, flashlights, ski masks and gloves.
Randy Novak was arrested for burglary and taken to the Steele County Detention
Center. Deputy Wolhart then performed his post-arrest inspection of the back
seat of his squad, where he located $300.00 that was taken from the desk drawer at
RC Super Store. Novak later confessed to the burglary. Again, Deputy Wolhart
provided good investigative work prior to the arrival of our invesitagor, which
helped to gain a confession and a secure court case. Deputy Wolhart was assisted
by Rice County Sheriff’s Office, Officer Fisher of the Owatonna Police Department,
Deputies Darrin Helget and Greg Skillestad and Investigative Sergeant Gary Okins.
Within a four week period in Oct./Nov. Deputy Wolhart also had made seven DWI
arrest in Steele County. That is seven impaired drivers taken off our county roads.
That is something we can all be appreciative of.
Behind The Steele Star
Detention Center 507-446-7000
2500 Alexander St. Owatonna, MN 55060
ron.hammann@ co.steele.mn.us
Administrator Ron Hammann
Assistant Administrator Dick Wandrey
Programs Jennifer Pfeifer, Coor.
Cindy Fowler Jessica Fenlason
Sergeants Justin Hebel
Richelle Olson Paul Prissel
Corporals Anthony Buttera
Jed Loftus Joyce Prusha
Troy Stockwell
Corrections Officers Travis Ardolf Travis Avelar Mark Barrie Drew Bartelt
Nathan Boysen Crystal Chappuis
Steve Clark Elisha Degrego Kristin Freese Steven Gjerald Dawn Grunklee Matthew Gwin Alicyn Hinze Luis Irizarry Shannon Jes Jason Krohn
Al Kubat Adil Lebgue
Shari Luedtke Richard Smith Shelley Thom Carl Wheeler
Nursing Joyce Drake Leah Kent
Records Staff Nancy Gjerald, Lead
Sarah Tesch
WIND TURBINE SAFETY EXERCISE
In the last year, approximately eight (8) sections in the Blooming Prairie Township changed with the addition of wind tur-bines. There are now 24 wind turbines scattered throughout the area. The wind energy solution has arrived in Steele County. Earlier in the year, we were approached by Vestas inquiring if we would want any involvement in a safety plan. I immediate-ly agreed that we should have a safety plan in place and acquire some knowledge on what to do and what not to do in a rescue situation involving a wind turbine.
On Saturday November 17th, 2012 the Steele County Sheriff’s Office and Vestas held a high rescue training exercise. The exercise consisted of a “mock” medical event. The medical situation consisted of one of the workers having breathing diffi-culty. The person having breathing difficulty was at the very top of the wind tur-bine. That is basically over 300 feet up. In order for us to retrieve that person we needed the assistance of the Vestas safe-ty plan and area rescue personnel. There are approximately 34,000 volts when the turbine is efficiently operating. After several procedures and safety protocols by Vestas personnel we were now able to send rescue inside. Since this was the first time for any of us attending a rescue from a turbine the “mock” exercise was set up with a 180 pound dummy attached to a res-cue harness 300 feet up. Vestas em-ployees were now able to demonstrate how the equipment worked. The dummy was lowered out in the safety harness from a bottom hatch of the nacelle. The Vestas crew was able to demonstrate the safest way and most practical way with the surround-ing elements included. After the exer-cise some rescue personnel were al-lowed inside the turbine to get a work-ing knowledge of the equipment. This was a great exercise and opened a lot of eyes including mine. Participation included the Steele County Sheriff’s Office, Blooming Prairie Fire Department, Blooming Prairie Ambulance, Owatonna Fire Department, and Vestas. (Pictured above and author of this article, Sheriff Lon Thiele. Additional photos follow on the next page.)
Behind The Steele Star
BRINGING THE RESCUE “DUMMY” DOWN TO SAFETY
FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION
WIND TURBINE
SAFETY
EXERCISE