Brown County District Court

• A felony domestic abuse no contact order violation charge was filed Aug. 17 against Nicolas D. Safford, 37, 613 6th North St., New Ulm. A bail hearing was set for 11:30 a.m Aug. 18.

According to court documents, New Ulm Police Sgt. Chip Rasche returned a phone call on Aug. 16 to a Brown County Probation agent who recently met with Stafford. The agent was suspicious that Safford may be violating probation terms by returning to the victim’s residence and there was a domestic abuse no contact order that protects the victim from contact and prohibits Safford from going to the victim’s residence.

The agent said she saw Safford pull up to the victim’s residence and into an attached garage, exit the vehicle and walk around the back of the garage and hit a button closing the garage door.

Cpl. Dustin Fleck and officer Christina Wright unsuccessfully tried making contact at the residence and began preparing a search warrant when they were approached by a witness who said he was friends with Safford and wanted to help. The witness told Rasche that Safford had been staying at the victim’s residence for some time.

The witness went near the residence and later returned, saying the victim wanted to open the door, but Safford wouldn’t allow her to. Safford later exited the residence and was arrested. He has two prior qualified domestic violence-related offenses. He was convicted of interfering with an emergency call on Dec. 22, 2020, and on Jan. 18, 2022.