Police investigate crash near Recall Ron stand

WILLMAR - Willmar police investigated a minor crash Tuesday afternoon at the street corner where a citizens group had set up a stand to gather petition signatures for recalling Ward 2 City Council member Ron Christianson.
Carolyn Jorgenson, a volunteer with the Recall Ron Committee, said a woman with an ‘I Support Ron Christianson’ sign in the window pulled up to the curb at the corner of Fourth Street and Minnesota Avenue Southwest where the stand was set up and sat in her vehicle.
Committee organizers said they set up the stand across the street from the Willmar Education and Arts Center where Willmar School District voters were deciding the fate of two school bond issues.
The volunteers were gathering signatures of Ward 2 residents who support a recall of Christianson, and had 110 signatures by midday, according to Julie Asmus, committee volunteer.
Police Chief Jim Felt said Marlys Schafer, 78, of Willmar, pulled her vehicle up to the stand. While she attempted to pull back out onto the roadway, Schafer’s vehicle struck another vehicle driven by Barbara Johnson, 61, of Willmar.
No injuries were reported. Schafer was not cited for any traffic violations and it appears Schafer struck the vehicle by accident, Felt said.
Felt indicated that Schafer was displaying a sign in her vehicle indicating support for Ron Christianson at the time of the crash. However, he said the Police Department is unaware of any harassment at the scene.
Jorgenson said the driver did not get out of her vehicle.
Jorgenson said the incident means to her “that this is democracy and there are opinions on both sides, and some people are going to make their point even if it risks public safety. That’s what it means to me.’’