Minnesota State Patrol

• Responded to a two-vehicle crash in wet conditions on TH 19 at TH 15, Cornish Township, Sibley County at 5:36 p.m. June 25. Hilda Ortiz Vasquez, 33, Osceola. Ia. was driving a 2008 Chevrolet Aveo southbound on TH 15 when she collided with Derek J. Steele, 20, Winthrop, driving a 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora westbound on TH 19. A 15-year-old Winthrop female riding in the Oldsmobile was transported to Hutchinson Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Everyone wore seat belts. Alcohol was not involved. The Sibley County Sheriff’s Office, Winthrop Fire and Ambulance assisted.

• Responded to a two-vehicle crash in wet conditions on U.S. Highway 212 at 520th Street, Hector Township at 8:47 a.m. June 24. A 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Carson J. Gustafson, 17, Inver Grove Heights, was westbound on Highway 212 when he collided with a 2013 Ram 1600 driven by a 16-year-old male. A passenger in the Jeep, Matthew J. Milner, 17, Inver Grove Heights, was transported to a Glencoe hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Everyone wore seat belts. Alcohol was not involved. The Renville County Sheriff’s Office and Buffalo Lake Ambulance assisted.

Renville County Sheriff’s Office

• Received a 911 call at 5:56 a.m. June 23 reporting a vehicle rollover, also said to be on fire near U.S. Highway 212 and 150th Street, a mile west of Sacred Heart, Hawk Creek Township, Renville County.

Emergency responders found a 2005 Buick Rendezvous on the road fully engulfed in flames. After extinguishing the fire, crews learned the vehicle was unoccupied and a search began. Shortly after launching unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV drone) with infrared imaging technology, a man, later identified as Juan A. Chaparro-Larsen, 37, of Granite Falls, was found along the Twin Cities & Western (TC&W) railroad tracks, about a mile west of the crash. Chaparro-Larsen appeared to be in distress, according to a sheriff’s office news release.

While in the UAV camera view with emergency crews responding to Chaparro-Larsen’s location, he collapsed on the tracks. The TC&W railroad was contacted and asked to stop any area trains until the situation was resolved.

Granite Falls Ambulance staff treated Chaparro-Larsen before he was flown to St. Cloud Hospital by a Life Link III helicopter.

It was later learned that when they were contacted, the TC&W railroad had a westbound train east of Sacred Heart. The train stopped in Sacred Heart, about two miles from the incident.

Responding agencies included the Renville County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota State Patrol, Sacred Heart Fire Department/Medical Response Unit, Granite Falls Ambulance and Life Link III air ambulance. The State Patrol is investigating the crash.

Brown County Sheriff’s Office

• Received a domestic call on 320th Street, Home Township at 2:58 a.m. June 25. Arrested a 50-year-old rural Sleepy Eye man for 5th-degree assault. A report was sent to the Brown County Attorney’s Office.

New Ulm Police

• Received a theft report of a purse at the Cathedral Summerfest at 3:40 p.m., June 25. The purse and contents were valued at $500. A police investigator will view video surveillance.

Sleepy Eye Police

• Received a criminal damage to property report of windows shot out at the former St. John’s school building, 221 Walnut St. S.E. at 1:41 p.m., June 26. A report was done for documentation.