District Court Kandiyohi County
- A 40-year-old Willmar man was arraigned Thursday on felony charges for allegedly tampering with a witness in a drug case against him.
Lazaro Soliz faces a first-degree charge for tampering with a witness along with a felony charge for a pattern of harassing conduct. Judge Donald M. Spilseth set unconditional bail at $175,000 with conditional release set at $10,000 cash only.
The new felony charges against Soliz come on the heels of three felony drug charges he faces from an investigation by the CEE-VI Drug Task Force. During the investigation, Soliz sold drugs to a confidential informant for CEE-VI on three separate occasions in December and January.
Soliz's home was searched on Jan. 31. Officers found a ½ ounce of methamphetamine, a bag of marijuana, $4,785 in cash that was in a shoe, a digital scale with white residue on it and other drug paraphernalia.
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Soliz is facing two first-degree and one second-degree controlled substance violations as a result of the investigation.
The most recent charges were filed after Soliz allegedly made numerous threatening calls to the confidential informant invloved in his arrest. The informant met with CEE-VI agents Monday about the calls, which made references to the informant being a "dead man" and Soliz being part of the Mexican mafia.
When he was arrested, Soliz allegedly told authorities he shouldn't have called the informant, but wanted to know why the informant had turned him in.
Soliz is scheduled to appear in court again May 3.
- A 22-year-old Raymond man pleaded guilty Thursday to a felony charge of criminal vehicular injury from an incident in which he drove through a stop sign and crashed into another vehicle.
Jeremiah Judson Malvin faced two felony charges of criminal vehiclular injury after the June incident. He also faced two gross misdemeanor charges for third-degree driving while impaired along with a misdemeanor for running a stop sign.
Malvin pleaded guilty to one of the felony charges under the agreement that the remaining charges would be dismissed. The agreement also included language that would make Malvin eligible for a stay of imposition at sentencing.
The stay of imposition would remove the felony from Malvin's criminal record if he is able to comply with conditions set at sentencing.
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Malvin was charged after he allegedly ran a stop sign and T-boned a pickup truck while under the influence of methamphetamine.
According to the complaint, Malvin was driving his Chevy Blazer around 6 a.m. June 14 when he ran the stop sign at County roads 1 and 3 and T-boned a pickup at high speeds. Both Malvin and the driver of the pickup were taken to Rice Memorial Hospital.
Malvin later told Kandiyohi County sheriff 's deputies he had used meth earlier in the morning. Blood tests later showed meth still in Malvin's bloodstream, the complaint states.
The driver of the pickup suffered a spinal injury, broken ribs and several cuts that required stitches. An affidavit for restitution in the amount of $5,183.49 was also filed with the court.
Malvin was sentenced on a separate felony drug charge Jan. 22. as the result of an incident when he was found with .12 ounces of meth in his pocket.
Malvin is scheduled to be sentenced on the criminal vehicular injury charge March 8.
Log home starts on fire
WILLMAR -- The Willmar Fire Department responded to a fire at a log home around 1:05 a.m. Thursday along the 700 block of 40th Avenue Northeast.
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The fire apparently started on the roof of the building. Willmar firefighters were on scene until around 3:50 a.m. Tankers from Spicer, Kandiyohi, New London and Pennock were also called to assist with the blaze. Willmar Ambulance and Kandiyohi County sheriff's deputies assisted at the scene.
Willmar Fire Chief Marv Calvin said the fire started on the roof near the chimney and spread along the roof.
"It was from radiant heat," Calvin said.
No one was injured in the blaze and firefighters were able to quench the fire before extensive damage was done to the house. Calvin said most of the damage was sustained to the roof and attic through smoke damage.
The family is still able to live in the home despite the early morning fire.
"They still have a roof over their head," Calvin said, "and that's a good thing."
Thefts
WILLMAR -- A case of employee theft was being investigated by the Willmar Police Department around 7:45 p.m. Wednesday at Wal-Mart, 3031 S. First St.
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WILLMAR -- The theft of a numerous items was reported to the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Department around 11 a.m. Thursday along the 1300 block of 39th Street Northeast. A car CD player, two ice augers, miscellaneous tools and a small freezer were reportedly taken.
Jeep crashes into café
NEW LONDON -- A jeep clipped the side of Riverside Café Thursday morning along the 34 block of South Main Street.
The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Department responded to the scene of the crash around 8:10 a.m. Lorina Mary Grabhorn, 35, of New London was driving the jeep when the crash occurred. The extent of injuries was unknown Thursday evening.
Phone calls placed to the Sheriff's Department were not immediately returned.
New London Fire assisted at the scene of the crash.
