Friday, May 17, 2013
Hundreds of RHS students assembled on Thursday morning for a mock crash staged by local public safety agencies.
Two dead. Three seriously injured. That was the toll at Rosemount High School on Thursday morning, as members of the Rosemount Police and Fire Departments, Minnesota State Patrol units and other emergency responders conducted a mock crash demonstration. The mock accident was staged in the high school parking lot with student volunteers, two smashed minivans and plenty of fake blood and gore. Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom and local mom Lisa Hoeft—who lost her son Michael several years ago in a car accident, both provided perspective for the hundreds of RHS students assembled at the scene. Click here to see photos from the Rosemount High School mock crash. "This is a reflection of real life. This is a reflection of what happens …
44.74422
-93.13166
Rosemount High School
3335 142nd St W, Rosemount, MN
/articles/smashed-cars-gore-and-a-powerful-message-for-rosemount-high-schoolers
993555
/locations/9395775
Hundreds of RHS students assembled on Thursday morning for a mock crash staged by local public safety agencies.
Two dead. Three seriously injured. That was the toll at Rosemount High School on Thursday morning, as members of the Rosemount Police and Fire Departments, Minnesota State Patrol units and other emergency responders conducted a mock crash demonstration. The mock accident was staged in the high school parking lot with student volunteers, two smashed minivans and plenty of fake blood and gore. Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom and local mom Lisa Hoeft—who lost her son Michael several years ago in a car accident, both provided perspective for the hundreds of RHS students assembled at the scene. Click here for video from the mock crash at Rosemount High School. "This is a reflection of real life. This is a reflection of what happens …
44.74422
-93.13166
Rosemount High School
3335 142nd St W, Rosemount, MN
/articles/photos-two-dead-three-injured-at-rosemount-high-school-mock-crash
993555
/locations/9395778
Saturday, January 19, 2013
John Stephen Woodward, one-time neighbor of James Backstrom, attempted murder-for-hire.
John Stephen Woodward, convicted in December of conspiracy to murder Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom, was sentenced Friday to 16 years in prison. Woodward, who turned 50 today, was originally sent to jail in 2007 after an investigation by Backstrom that led to his conviction for felony drug crimes, including selling methamphetamine. According to a report in the Star-Tribune, he will have to serve at least two-thirds of his 16-year sentence before he is eligible for release. As reported by Patch in December, Woodward was charged by the Rice County Attorney’s Office after Minnesota Correction Facility—Faribault officials uncovered the plot to kill Backstrom. Woodward had been charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit …
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Eric James Hunter, 44, will also be required to pay restitution.
A Rosemount man was sentenced to 60 days in jail in connection with a 2009 fatal hit-and-run in Apple Valley. Eric James Hunter, 44, struck Joan LeVasseur, 26, of Apple Valley, with his car on March 6, 2009. She died a week later. Hunter was also sentenced to three years probation and will be ordered to pay restitution to the victim’s family, according to a news release from the office of Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom. Hunter was tried on two counts: leaving the scene of a fatal accident and driving with a suspended license. He originally was tried two years ago, but the the jury was unable to reach a verdict. Here is the full text of the news release: Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom announced that Eric James Hunter, age…
Friday, December 7, 2012
John Stephen Woodward was charged by the Rice County Attorney’s Office after Minnesota Correction Facility—Faribault officials uncovered a plot by Woodward to murder Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom.
A Rice County jury of 12 on Friday found John Stephen Woodward guilty of conspiracy to commit premeditated first-degree murder of Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom. Woodward was charged by the Rice County Attorney’s Office after Minnesota Correction Facility—Faribault officials uncovered the plot to kill Backstrom. Woodward had been charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit premeditated first-degree murder: one charge for Backstrom and the other for Dakota County Judge Rex Stacey. Rice County Judge Thomas Neuville dismissed the count regarding Stacey earlier this week because of lack of evidence. Woodward was sentenced to seven years and 10 months in prison on the drug charge, in which he sold methamphetamine from his Inver …
Thursday, December 6, 2012
While in the Minnesota Correctional Facility—Faribault, John Stephen Woodward allegedly masterminded a plot to murder Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom.
A Rice County jury is expected to begin considering the case today against an Inver Grove Heights man charged with plotting to murder Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom in 2010. John Stephen Woodward, 49, was originally charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit premeditated first-degree murder. Authorities say he made arrangements with another inmate at the state prison in Faribault to murder not just Backstrom, but Dakota County District Judge Rex Stacey, who presided over Woodward’s trial on felony drug charges. Woodward is also on trial on a charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree assault resulting in great bodily harm. Prosecutors say he intended to have someone use a baseball bat to break the arms and legs of a woman …
Monday, October 22, 2012
A retrial for Eric James Hunter, 44, was scheduled to begin Monday.
Like us on Facebook | Get our newsletter | Follow us on Twitter | Start a blog A Rosemount man who was scheduled to be retried in connection to a 2009 fatal hit-and-run in Apple Valley has pleaded guilty. In a press release, the Dakota County Attorney’s Office says Eric James Hunter, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of leaving the scene of a accident involved a death, a felony, on Monday. Hunter was scheduled to be retried for his involvement in the crash—in which Joan LeVasseur, 26, was struck by a vehicle on March 6, 2009 in Apple Valley and died a week later—beginning Monday. He originally was tried two years ago, but the the jury was unable to reach a verdict. Hunter originally was tried on two counts: leaving the scene of a fatal …
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Three county attorneys announced that all drugs previously tested by the St. Paul Crime Lab in pending drug cases will be retested.
Potential problems with drug testing in the St. Paul Police Department’s crime lab could lead to trial delays, and possibly reduced charges, in cases against Dakota County defendants awaiting prosecution on drug offenses. Chief prosecutors in Dakota, Ramsey and Washington counties announced in a statement Wednesday that all drugs previously tested by the lab in pending cases will be retested. About 350 to 400 cases could be affected, according to an article from the Star Tribune. The Pioneer Press reports that more than 3,600 drug cases were filed in the past four years in Dakota, Ramsey and Washington counties, and many used evidence analyzed in the St. Paul crime lab. The lab handled more than 16,000 cases and processed more than 200,000…
Monday, July 23, 2012
The office of Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom issued a statement on reports that the St. Paul Crime Lab may not be compliant with best practices.
Editor's note: Apple Valley-Rosemount Patch published a piece on July 18 with reporting from various other media sources that the St. Paul Crime Lab may not be compliant with best practices and that this noncompliance could have endangered the reliability of drug tests in criminal cases. Dakota County Attorney Jim Backstrom issued the following statement. ---- In response to the claims being made that the Dakota County Attorney’s Office had prior knowledge of the extent of the problems with the St. Paul Police Department Crime Laboratory, the following is the explanation of the events leading up to the hearings in eight consolidated drug cases in Dakota County conducted during the week of July 16, 2012: In February and March of 2012 the …
Sunday, July 22, 2012
In other news from around Dakota County, the developer of a new outlet mall and the city of Eagan agreed on a $14.73 million purchase price.
Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Get our newsletter | Blog for us Though you might live or work in Apple Valley or Rosemount, chances are you're curious about what's happening in your neighboring communities. Here are some of the stories posted on our neighboring Patch sites last week that could impact, help or be of interest to you. Read each story by clicking on the headline link. 2 Burnsville Residents Arrested in Connection with Major Heroin Ring Natashia Lashaye Daniels and Marquis Demon Bettis were arrested July 12. Power to the Pizza: Toppers Takes on Burnsville A local family is bringing a hot new pizzeria chain to Burnsville-Apple Valley, starting July 28, with four more Twin Cities stores to follow in the next few …
Pfei4Zak
1:51 pm on Wednesday, January 16, 2013
And Eric if u read my previous statement, don't be mad. U have a huge 2nd chance, You need to impact this world for two people now, yourself and the life you although "accidentally" but so negligently and unremorefully KILLED. WOULD SHE BE ALIVE IF TOY SPEED INSTEAD OF THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR OWN HEROIN ADDICTED ASS. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE HYPOCRISY HERE AS I WAS ALSO IN JAIL FOR A MISD. WRNT DRIVING … more ›