EDEN VALLEY

Update: Missing Eden Valley woman found safe

Staff reports — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 18:07:09 GMT

DEC. 21 UPDATE:

The Eden Valley woman reported missing last week has been found, and is safe.

The Stearns County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, Dec. 21, issued a news release stating that Kaitlyn Hohman was found by Stearns County Investigators in Minneapolis on Wednesday.

DEC. 15 STORY:

EDEN VALLEY, Minn. — The Stearns County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help to locate a missing Eden Valley woman.

Kaitlyn Hohman was last in contact with her family on July 27, and efforts to locate her have been unsuccessful, according to a news release from the Sheriff's Office.

Hohman is described as a white female, 5'2" tall, and weighing approximately 125 pounds. She has blue eyes and is known to wear a wig.

She may be in the Twin Cities metro area, specifically around Bloomington, the news release said.

Law enforcement has been investigating Hohman's disappearance and is concerned for her safety. The public is asked to contact the Stearns County Sheriff's Office at 320-251-4240 or through the Sheriff's Office website if they have any information about Hohman's whereabouts. Giving information can be done anonymously.

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Update: Man involved in altercation with Eden Valley Police died of self-inflicted gunshot wound

Shelby Lindrud — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:12:20 GMT

EDEN VALLEY — The man involved in an attempted traffic stop and pursuit involving an officer from the Eden Valley Police Department on Saturday died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to an autopsy by the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office.

The man has been identified as Stephen Christ Poissant, 34, of Brainerd.

According to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on Sunday, the officer involved, Evan Borscheid, did exchange gunfire with Poissant. The round from Borscheid's service weapon grazed Poissant's knee.

Evans, who has served in law enforcement for five years, was not injured. He is on standard administrative leave as the BCA continues its investigation, the release said.

Following its investigation, the BCA will provide its findings without recommendation to the Meeker County Attorney's Office for review, according to the BCA release.

According to a press release Saturday from the Meeker County Sheriff's Office, the incident began around 2:20 a.m. Saturday, when Borscheid tried to stop a vehicle for a traffic offense. The BCA said the stop was for speeding and a headlight violation. Poissant fled out of Eden Valley on Minnesota Highway 55 with the officer pursuing. About one mile west of town, the vehicle went into a ditch.

Poissant, who was the lone occupant, exited the vehicle, and according to the sheriff's release, gunfire was exchanged. After Poissant fired the fatal shot, Borscheid attempted life-saving measures, but Poissant died at the scene.

A handgun was recovered at the scene, and the incident was captured on the squad car's dash cam, the BCA release said. The Eden Valley Police Department does not have body cameras, the sheriff's release said.

Responding to the scene were the Meeker County Sheriff's Office, Stearns County Sheriff's Office, Litchfield Police Department, Watkins Ambulance and LifeLink III.

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Man dead after exchange of gunfire with west-central Minnesota police

Shelby Lindrud — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 14:32:13 GMT

EDEN VALLEY — An unidentified male was shot and killed early Saturday morning after he fled from a traffic stop initiated by an officer from the Eden Valley Police Department.

No police officers were reported injured. Eden Valley is 30 miles southwest of St. Cloud.

According to a press release from the Meeker County Sheriff's Office, the altercation began around 2:20 a.m. Saturday, when a police officer tried to stop a vehicle for a traffic offense. The driver fled out of Eden Valley on Minnesota Highway 55 with the officer pursuing. About one mile west of town, the suspect vehicle went into a ditch.

The driver, who was the lone occupant, exited the vehicle, and according to the release, gunfire was exchanged. The driver was shot and the police officer immediately started life-saving measures. The man died at the scene. The body has been transported to the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office for formal identification and to determine cause and manner of death.

A handgun was recovered at the scene, the release said. While the Eden Valley Police Department does not have body cameras, the squad car camera was operating throughout the incident. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was called and has taken over the investigation, which remains active and ongoing, the press release said.

No other details have been released.

Responding to the scene were the Meeker County Sheriff's Office, Stearns County Sheriff's Office, Litchfield Police Department, Watkins Ambulance and LifeLink III.

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Deputy: Thousands of mink dying after being let loose from central Minnesota farm

Barry Amundson — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 23:34:06 GMT

EDEN VALLEY, Minn. - Only about 5,500 of the 40,000 mink that were let loose from a mink farm in central Minnesota have been recovered as of late Tuesday afternoon; however, 90 percent of those are dead, officials said.

Stearns County Chief Deputy Jon Lentz said experienced mink handlers are using fishing nets to try to catch the minks that seemed to scatter "everywhere" from the Lang Farms LLC about 2½ miles northwest of Eden Valley, next to a grassy wildlife management area.

Vandals or burglars entered the mink farm about 30 miles southwest of St. Cloud, dismantled a fence and opened cages in the 25 to 30 sheds where they were being raised to let them free sometime between 10:30 p.m. Sunday night, July 16, and 5:30 a.m. the following morning.

Lentz said no one has been apprehended in the case, but he suspects it might be animal rights activists.

"No one has claimed responsibility," he said about any animal rights groups who fight against containment of animals."But in such a massive release the first place to look iis to one of those groups."

Lentz said Investigators doubt it was just someone that let the minks out "just for fun or as vandalism."

The chief deputy also wouldn't say whether they believe it was one person or several who were involved. But he said officials believe it was a "planned event." and that access to the farm was likely gained through the wildlife management area about only 50 yards from the mink operation.

What is known is that the domesticated mink are dying or likely will die as they can't survive for long in the wild.

Lentz said the stress of being out in the wild or being caught by the handlers in fishing nets is likely the reason most are dying.

About 9 out of 10 that were recovered die and are being buried, he said.

Some on the loose may live for awhile, but Lentz expects to get reports of live or dead mink spotted in the area for weeks as about 34,000 are still on the loose.

Not only will most of the mink die, but officials said release of the predatory domestic animals will have a negative impact on the surrounding native wildlife population.

There was a report Monday night from a nearby farmer who lost 10 chickens, likely to the mink.

The mink farm has a capacity of 40,000 mink and Lentz said it was full or nearly full at the time of the incident.

The value of the loss of the animals was estimated at about $750,000.

Numerous calls to Lang Farms LLC over the past few days weren't answered.

The sheriff's office has been working with state and federal officials with the case.

Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to contact the sheriff's office at 320-251-4240 or Tri-County Crimestoppers at 1-800-255-1301 for a possible reward.

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No arrests made yet as 30,000 to 40,000 domesticated mink set free from Minnesota farm

Barry Amundson — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 18:49:41 GMT

EDEN VALLEY, Minn.-Anywhere from 30,000 to 40,000 mink are on the loose in Stearns County in central Minnesota after burglars entered a mink farm, cut a fence and opened cages to let them free.

The incident happened sometime between 10:30 p.m. Sunday, July 16, and 5:30 a.m. Monday, July 17, on Lang Farms LLC about 2.5 miles northwest of Eden Valley. That's about 30 miles southwest of St. Cloud.

As of late Monday, the sheriff’s office said no one had been arrested in the case.

The Stearns County Sheriff's Office responded to the burglary and vandalism just after 5:30 a.m. and reported that an unknown person or persons entered the property, dismantled areas of the exterior fence that surrounds the barns and released all of the mink from their cages.

Because the mink were domesticated they are not expected to survive in the wild, though some mink may survive initially and may be loose in the area, said the sheriff's report. The release took place adjacent to a wildlife management area and a wilderness preservation area.

If residents see any mink in the area, they are asked not to approach them because they may bite. Lang Farms, which raises mink for pelts, asked that residents call the farm so the animals can be recaptured by experienced mink handlers.

Residents can call the farm and at 320-453-4750 and leave a message if any mink are sighted in the area.

The Stearns County Sheriff's Office has notified state and federal officials about the case.

The release of predatory domestic animals will have a negative impact on the surrounding native wildlife population, officials said.

Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to contact the Stearns County Sheriff's Office at 320-251-4240 or Tri-County Crimestoppers at 1-800-255-1301 for a possible reward.

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