An off-duty Forest Lake police sergeant died in a crash of his off-road vehicle while visiting his cabin a few miles over the Wisconsin border, authorities said Monday.
Kurt Kowarsch, 42, was riding a utility terrain vehicle Saturday night a few miles east of Danbury on northbound Tower Road, when he hit some trees. He was pronounced dead by emergency responders, said the Burnett County Sheriff's Office.
"The preliminary autopsy report shows that the male occupant was deceased prior to the UTV starting on fire," a statement from the Sheriff's Office read.
"Kurt has served the city of Forest Lake for 14 years," read a Facebook posting from police. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."
Before working at Forest Lake, Kowarsch was employed by the Washington County Sheriff's Office and the Annandale Police Department.
The Kowarsch family was hit by tragedy in January 2011, when their 8-month-old daughter Brooke suffered bleeding on the brain while at her day care in North Chisago Lakes Township, Minn., and later died.
The provider, Salli D. Schultz, who was not licensed, was tried and acquitted by a jury of second-degree murder and manslaughter.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
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