Dickinson, Franklin (OTCDF)
Battle Lake, MN – A Shakopee man was arrested this weekend for strangling and attempting to drown his sister.
Otter Tail County deputies say that around 4 p.m. Saturday (August 30th), the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from rural Battle Lake saying a man, later identified as 42-year-old Franklin Dickinson, was attempting to drown family members in Otter Tail Lake. Before law enforcement arrived, a neighbor and other family members were able to free the 25-year-old and 64-year-old victims and bring them to safety.
Deputies say that when they arrived, they were told that Dickinson had become angry and grabbed his sister by the throat and began choking her underwater. At some point, the sister lost consciousness and was being held at the bottom of the lake. The pair’s 64-year-old mother then intervened, and Dickinson began engaging her and pulling her hair down towards the water.
A male neighbor told deputies he heard the commotion and was able to intervene enough to free the women, who were treated on scene by EMS. The paramedics say the 25-year-old sister sustained neck, chest, and collarbone injuries and was taken to Lake Region Healthcare for what is believed to be minor injuries. The mother is also believed to not have any major injuries as well.
Dickinson was talked out of the water by Otter Tail County deputies and was taken into custody. He faces several charges, including felony domestic assault by strangulation and second degree assault with a deadly weapon.
The Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Battle Lake Police Department, the MN DNR, Battle Lake Rescue, and Ringdahl Ambulance.