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Fillmore County Journal

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Fillmore and Houston County Police Reports

February 3, 2025 by Fillmore County Journal Leave a Comment

Silver Police Badge

Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office Troy Alan Bothun, 39, Decorah, Iowa, 11/14/2024, Speeding (69/55), Fine $50, Total Fees $135.  Mia Jade Hernandez, 19, China Grove, Tex., 1/6/2025, Speeding (79/60), Fine $60, Total Fees $145.   Casey Lee Nelson, 40, Ellendale, Minn., 12/27/2024, Speeding (45/40), Fine $40, Total Fees $125. Steven Burdette Vrieze, 72, Wykoff, Minn., … [Read more...]

Fillmore and Houston County Police Reports

January 27, 2025 by Fillmore County Journal Leave a Comment

Silver Police Badge

Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office Jakob Robert Aarsvold, 21, Kasson, Minn., 1/6/205, Speeding (69/60), Fine $40, Total Fees $125.   Fidel Brigido Bernardo, 44, Memphis, Tenn., 1/1/2025, Driving Without a Valid License for Vehicle Class or Type, Fine $100, Total Fees $185.   Ceraphine Sue Franck, 20, Winona, Minn., 11/29/2024, Failure to Stop at Stop Sign, Fine $50, … [Read more...]

Fillmore and Houston County Police Reports

January 20, 2025 by Fillmore County Journal Leave a Comment

Caledonia Police Department James Michael Lyden, 43, Caledonia, Minn., 5/16/2024, Driving Without a Valid License for Vehicle Class or Type, Fine $100, Total Fees $175.   Chatfield Police Department Emmanuel Oron Ojulu, 21, Rochester, Minn., 10/15/2024, Speeding (43/30), Fine $50, Total Fees $135.   Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office Steven Scott Christian, 63, … [Read more...]

Fillmore and Houston County Police Reports

January 13, 2025 by Fillmore County Journal Leave a Comment

Caledonia Police Department Kaitlyn Cynthia Fah, 29, Sparta, Wis., 10/8/2024, Uninsured Vehicle - Owner Violation, Fine $160, Total Fees $235.  Chatfield Police Department Grace Rose Himle, 24, Spring Valley, Minn., 11/30/2024, Speeding (48/30), Fine $60, Total Fees $145.  11/30/2024, No Proof of Insurance - Owner, Fine $200.  Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office Brittany … [Read more...]

January 6, 2025 by Fillmore County Journal Leave a Comment

Chatfield Police Department Susan Sponsel Kelly, 79, Rochester, Minn., 12/13/2024, Speeding (39/30), Fine $40, Total Fees $125.  Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office Aaron Orr Luster, 20, St. Louis, Mo., 10/12/2024, Driving Without a Valid License for Vehicle Class or Type, Fine $100, Total Fees $185.  Myles Grayson Meiller, 19, Chaska, Minn., 11/9/2024, Speeding (65/60), … [Read more...]

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Fillmore and Houston County Police Reports

December 30, 2024 by Fillmore County Journal Leave a Comment

Caledonia Police Department Dean Joseph Gavin, 55, Caledonia, Minn., 9/30/2024, Predatory Offender – Knowingly Commits Act or Fails to Fulfill Registration Requirement.  Total Fees $75.  Commit to Commissioner of Corrections, Minnesota Correctional Facility St. Cloud - 21 months.  Conditions (12/12/2024): Supply DNA sample - submit to DNA requirements as required, Comply with … [Read more...]

Fillmore and Houston County Police Reports

December 23, 2024 by Fillmore County Journal Leave a Comment

Silver Police Badge

Caledonia Police Department Caleb Kenneth Traff, 30, Hokah, Minn., 9/28/2024, Cannabis Open Package - Possess in Motor Vehicle; Packaging Has Been Opened or Seal Has Been Broken, Fine $100, Total Fees $175. 9/28/2024, Driving After Suspension, Fine $200. Chatfield Police Department Alexander Scott Biers, 20, Chatfield, Minn., 10/30/2024, Duty to Drive With Due Care, Fine … [Read more...]

Fillmore and Houston County Police Reports

December 16, 2024 by Fillmore County Journal Leave a Comment

Caledonia Police Department Trevor James Mitchell, 38, Caledonia, Minn., 9/19/2024, Driving After Revocation, Fine $200, Total Fees $275.  Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office Benito Barba Reyes, 27, Rochester, Minn., 7/27/2024, DWI - Refuse to Submit to Chemical test; Breath or Test Refusal or Failure, Fine $900, Total Fees $1,010.  Local Confinement - 364 days (stay 274 days … [Read more...]

Fillmore and Houston County Police Reports

December 9, 2024 by Fillmore County Journal Leave a Comment

Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office Ruiz Vega Fernando, 21, Chicago, Ill., 10/18/2024, Speeding (80/60), Fine $70, Total Fees $225.  Tyler Robert Gulbranson, 18, Preston, Minn., 11/19/2024, Speeding (64/55), Fine $40, Total Fees $125.   Ashley Rose McConnell, 38, Spring Valley, Minn., 3/23/2024, Domestic Assault (Concurrent/Consecutive), Fine $50, Total Fees $215.  Local … [Read more...]

Fillmore and Houston County Police Reports

December 2, 2024 by Fillmore County Journal Leave a Comment

Chatfield Police Department Avraham Horovitz, 21, Postville, Iowa, 9/13/2024, Speeding (46/30), Fine $60, Total Fees $145.  Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office Christopher Samuel Back, 31, Harmony, Minn., 9/1/2024, Operate Vehicle with Expired Registration, Fine $30, Total Fees $115.  Justin Dean Chounard, 45, Brownsdale, Minn., 9/6/2024, Display Revoked or Suspended … [Read more...]

Fillmore and Houston County Police Reports

November 25, 2024 by Fillmore County Journal Leave a Comment

Caledonia Police Department     Sabrina Starr Schreiber, 31, Caledonia, Minn., 7/31/2024, Driving After Revocation, Fine $200, Total Fees $275.   Chatfield Police Department Osvaldo Cardenas Gonzalez, 37, Rochester, Minn., 2/13/2024, Theft - Take/Use/Transfer Movable Property - No Consent, Fine $300, Total Fees $390. Rajnish Kumar, 40, Fresno, Calif., 8/24/2024, … [Read more...]

Fillmore and Houston County Police Reports

November 18, 2024 by Fillmore County Journal Leave a Comment

Caledonia Police Department     Cole Robert Iseli, 18, Waukon, Iowa, 8/18/2024, Driver Fails to Stop at Stop Sign, Fine $50, Total Fees $125.  Hokah Police Department Mikyla Latrice Smith, 23, Olive Branch, Miss., 10/19/2024, Speeding - Exceed Limit of 30 mph - Urban District (72/30), Fine $150, Total Fees $375.  Bradley Scott Boyd, 25, La Crescent, Minn., 8/9/2024, … [Read more...]

Fillmore and Houston County Police Reports

November 11, 2024 by Fillmore County Journal Leave a Comment

Chatfield Police Department Jarrad Michael Brown, 48, Chatfield, Minn., 4/18/2024, Harassment; Restraining Order - Violate Restraining Order, Fine $300, Total Fees $465.  Local Confinement - 90 days (stay 90 days for two years).  Supervised probation for two years - Conditions (10/23/2024): Sign Probation Agreement, Contact with probation - after release from jail (on … [Read more...]

Fillmore and Houston County Police Reports

November 4, 2024 by Fillmore County Journal Leave a Comment

Caledonia Police Department Lisa Ann Stames, 47, Caledonia, Minn., 7/10/2024, Dog at Large, Fine $75, Total Fees $150. Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office Sai Ikanth Mummareddy Sr. 32, St. Louis Park, Minn., 10/9/2024, Speeding (68/60), Fine $40, Total Fees $125.  Benjamin Allen Rand, 33, Pine Island, Minn., 8/9/2024, Speeding (70/60), Fine $40, Total Fees … [Read more...]

Fillmore and Houston County Police Reports

October 21, 2024 by Fillmore County Journal Leave a Comment

Silver Police Badge

Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office Ericka Ann Kolden, 26, Spring Valley, Minn., 7/21/2024, Speeding (84/55), Fine $100, Total Fees $285.  7/21/2024, Driving After Revocation, Fine $200.   Shaune Dee Luck, 54, Fountain, Minn., 7/22/2024, Duty to Drive With Due Care - Speed Greater Than Reasonable, Fine $40, Total Fees $125.   Cody James Martin, 39, Spring Valley, Minn., … [Read more...]

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FILLMORE COUNTY WEATHER

Fillmore County Journal - Your number one source for news and community information in Fillmore County Minnesota
Fillmore County Journal - Your number one source for news and community information in Fillmore County Minnesota
Fillmore County Journal - Your number one source for news and community information in Fillmore County Minnesota

Ask A Trooper

Sgt. Troy Christianson

Ask a Trooper

May 19, 2025 By Troy Christianson Leave a Comment

Question: I read your last article about road construction and work zones. Can you talk about the zipper merge? It seems like a lot of people don’t know what it is or can’t figure it out. Thank you.

Answer: The “Late Merge – Zipper Merge” is a driving strategy that requires drivers to change their mindset about merging. Traditionally, drivers have been taught to merge early when a lane is ending. Early merging leads to longer backups, more crashes and road rage incidents.

Zipper Merge Procedure

• When you see the “lane closed ahead” sign and traffic is backing up, stay in your current lane until the point of merge.

• Take turns with other drivers to safely and smoothly merge into the remaining lane.

• When traffic is heavy and slow, it is safer to remain in your current lane until the point where traffic can take turns merging orderly.

Benefits of the Zipper Merge

• Reduces the difference in speeds between two lanes, making lane changes easier and safer.

• Reduces the overall length of traffic backups by up to 40%.

• Reduces congestion at freeway interchanges, especially in metropolitan areas.

• Creates a sense of fairness when all lanes are moving at the same speed.

• Reduces incidents of road rage.

You can avoid a ticket – and a crash – if you simply buckle up, drive at safe speeds, pay attention and always drive sober. Help us drive Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths.

If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota send your questions to Sgt. Troy Christianson – Minnesota State Patrol at 2900 48th Street NW, Rochester, MN 55901-5848. Or reach him at Troy.Christianson@state.mn.us.

Zipper merging creates a sense of fairness when all lanes are moving at the same speed. Image submitted
Zipper merging creates a sense of fairness when all lanes are moving at the same speed.
Image submitted

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