Video appears to corroborate driver’s story in Knutson bike death

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – The driver of a pickup truck with a boat and trailer appears not to have violated any criminal or traffic laws after their vehicle struck and killed Mark Knutson on South Shore Drive on Sunday.

According to the Detroit Lakes Police Department, a nearby home surveillance system captured the incident on video, which appears to show Knutson losing control of his bike and falling into the path of the passing boat trailer, which corroborates the driver’s statements at the scene.

Investigators are awaiting the medical examiner’s report and the accident reconstruction report being completed by the Minnesota State Patrol.

Once those reports are received, police officials stated, the case file will be submitted to the Becker County Attorney’s Office for a review to determine if any charges are applicable.

Knutson was a prominent organizer of outdoor recreation events that included the Fargo Marathon, Tour Da Lakes and Dick Beardsley Races. He was also the general manager of Detroit Mountain.

Detroit Lakes receives top marks for 2022 audit

Detroit Lakes received a clean and unmodified audit opinion from BerganKDV after passing their 2022 financial audit with flying colors.

Andy Grice, a certified public accountant for the group, said the clean and unmodified opinion was the highest level of compliance any auditor can give.

“Our role as your auditor is to provide assurance on the city’s financial statements and that the financial statements (the council) is looking at tonight are fairly stated in all material respects,” said Grice. “We do that through our audit opinion. And we are issuing a clean audit opinion or unmodified opinion and that’s the best we can give as your auditor.”

Grice also said the only thing flagged by the audit was a, quote, “lack of segregation” in Detroit Lakes’ accounting practices. However, Grice said, that isn’t uncommon for small towns like Detroit Lakes.

“We are required to report any material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in internal control as part of our audit procedures and we had one finding related to a lack of segregation or accounting duties,” he said. “That finding is not uncommon for a city of your size, but it is something for city council to remain aware of.”

He also said the audit looked at the city’s compliance with three federal programs, which included: Drinking water revolving funds, American Rescue Plan Act funds and the Federal Highway Grant. A clean and unmodified opinion was given for the city’s accounting for each of the three federal programs.

According to the audit report of the city’s main funds, Detroit Lakes’ general fund increased about $400,000 from 2021 to 2022 with a total balance of $6.9 million.

The city’s electric fund increased its net position from $20 million to $21.2 million over the last year.

The Detroit Lakes water fund increased its net position from $1.4 million to $2.5 million and the wastewater fund also increased from $9.8 million to $11.6 million over the past year.

The city liquor fund increased about $250,000 from 2021 to 2022 with a total unrestricted net position of $4.3 million, but a large portion of the city’s liquor fund is expected to be used to pay for a portion of the city hall remodel project currently underway.

In 2022, the Detroit Lakes liquor fund reported $2.4 million in gross profits, slightly up from $2.3 million in 2021.

Detroit Lakes soon after council approves first reading of ordinance change

Members of the Detroit Lakes city council approved the first reading of a change to the city’s B-3 business district that will allow funeral homes as a permitted use and crematoriums as a conditional use.

During the meeting, some Detroit Lakes residents expressed concerns that the crematorium would cause pollution and threaten lakes area air and waterways. But, James Beaton, general manager for David-Donehower Funeral and Cremation Services in Detroit Lakes, said, while he respected their opinions, they were wrong about their proposed crematorium causing air pollution.

“I can state that (the resident’s) claims on pollution are absolutely not substantiated by the research that we have done and by the company that we are using to put this equipment together,” said Beaton. “There has been a tremendous amount of research done on pollution and that is not a factor.”

Currently, he said, members of their Detroit Lakes team are travelling to Fergus Falls multiple times per week to perform cremations, which is becoming a more regular request from individuals seeking funeral arrangements.

“We are currently travelling to Fergus Falls to conduct cremation,” he said. “Forty miles one way. We’re travelling there four to five days per week, in all kinds of weather, at a great cost to the consumer.”

He added, when David-Donehower opened its new facility in 2012, the cremation rate in the area was under 40%. Today, he said, that cremation rate has increased to near 80%.

“We are listening to the families that are calling on us,” said Beaton. “And we feel that it’s in the best interests of those families that (cremation) service can be provided right here in this community.”

Multiple city council members also pointed out that the ordinance change does not approve any proposed facility, only the change to the city code. Any new cremation facility would need to go through a public hearing process at the city’s planning commission and community development committee before the city council acts on the proposal.

The city council unanimously passed the first reading of the ordinance change and the second reading is expected to be voted on during the city council’s next meeting on Aug. 8.

New police officers sworn into service in Detroit Lakes

Detroit Lakes swore-in two new part time police officers during the most recent city council meeting on July 11.

Police officers Ethan Wothe and Jerron Aschnewitz each received the oath of service administered by Detroit Lakes Mayor Matt Brenk in front of groups of family and friends in the audience.

Following the oath and handshakes, each officer introduced their families, who each seemed extremely proud them as they joined the ranks of Detroit Lakes law enforcement.

Two Becker County men charged with felony first-degree DWI

Two Becker County men were charged with felony first-degree DWI stemming from separate incidents in early June.

According to the Detroit Lakes Tribune, on June 3, emergency dispatchers received a report of a vehicle crash on 11th Avenue in Detroit Lakes.

Court records stated 38-year-old Matthew Allen Boswell of rural White Earth was involved in a crash and attempted to leave his vehicle and climb onto a nearby apartment balcony before returning to the crash site.

Officers stopped Boswell before he was able to leave the scene of the crash again and noticed a strong smell of alcohol coming from the vehicle.

Several alcoholic containers were found inside the vehicle and Boswell became argumentative with officers and denied driving the vehicle.

A warrant was needed to obtain a blood sample from Boswell.

Bail was set at $100,000 without conditions or $75,000 with release conditions. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 24.

Additionally, the following day, on June 4, dispatchers were alerted to a two-vehicle crash on County Road 143, near River Road, in Becker County.

Upon arrival, officers noticed 56-year-old Mark Edward Foster, of rural Ogema, suffered from slurred speech, watery and bloodshot eyes and had a strong odor of alcohol emanating from him.

Foster was driving a 2006 Ford Taurus that had reportedly crossed the center line and side-swiped another vehicle.

He then told officers that he didn’t remember how the crash occurred and admitted to having one drink.

Foster failed three separate field sobriety tests and his blood alcohol level registered .20 during a test at the Becker County Jail.

He was released on June 6 after posting a $15,000 bond.

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