Thieves take catalytic converters in rural Deer Creek

By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

Sheriff deputies reported injuries Aug. 18 in a two-vehicle accident near the intersection of Highways 10 and 106, west of Bluffton in eastern Otter Tail County.

The accident took place at 9:41 a.m., in what deputies described as a t-bone crash.

Assisting sheriff deputies was the Minnesota State Highway Patrol. They said the driver of a Ford F150 was traveling on County Road 76, crossing Highway 10 to reach Highway 106, when it was struck by a Nissan traveling east on Highway 10.

The driver of the Ford, 19-year-old Somer Ione Davison of Bluffton, received a non-life-threatening injury. Also sustaining a non-life-threatening injury was the driver of the Nissan, Nhung Thi Dang of Vancouver, Washington. 

They were treated at Tri-County Hospital in Wadena.

Thieves take catalytic converters

A resident of 285th Street, southeast of Deer Creek, reported on Aug. 18 the theft of catalytic converters from two vehicles.

Deputies describe a catalytic converter as an exhaust emission control device that reduces toxic gases and pollutants.

Thieves oftentimes take the stolen converters to metal recyclers. Buyers pay an average of $50 per catalytic converter for copper and other metals inside the converter. 

Certain converters are worth $100 and even $200.

Truck wedged on I-94 bridge near Fergus Falls

Sheriff deputies reported, on Aug. 19, that a semi-truck pulling a tanker went off Interstate 94 and became wedged under a bridge near Fergus Falls.

Sgt. Jesse Grabow of the Minnesota State Highway Patrol said the driver crashed between the guard rail and bridge pillars, wedging between them.

The Fergus Falls Fire Department responded to the scene at 7:49 a.m. and checked for any potential leaks from the tanker. The crash, in turn, resulted in traffic being reduced to one lane in each direction along Interstate 94.

Authorities said the driver was not injured.