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Public safety briefs: Minneapolis man charged in fatal Eagan collision

March 26, 2013 at 4:32AM

Driver charged in death of woman in Eagan

Lamenting that he could not pursue a more serious charge, Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom announced Monday that his office has filed a misdemeanor complaint against a 24-year-old man in a fatal collision at an Eagan intersection.

Bashir A. Abdulahi, of Minneapolis, was charged with careless driving in the Sept. 12 death of Sandra S. Brodin, 68, of Lakeville.

According to the complaint, Dale Brodin was driving the couple's Mini Cooper when it was struck by Abdulahi's van at the intersection of Hwys. 55 and 149. Abdulahi ran into the passenger side of the Brodins' car as it was turning left with a green arrow, the complaint said.

The range of punishment Abdulahi faces if convicted runs from no jail time to 90 days and/or a fine of $300 to $1,000.

Paul Walsh

5 arrested in death of Brooklyn Park man

Five men have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a man after a dispute at a Brooklyn Park home, police said Monday.

The shooting occurred early Sunday after a party at the home in the 10000 block of Georgia Avenue N., said Brooklyn Park Police Inspector Todd Milburn. Police arrested three men as their vehicle was leaving the scene. Two other men were arrested in connection with the shooting at the home. A sixth man at the home was arrested for alleged narcotics possession. None of the men had been charged as of early Monday.

A large number of people, many of them in their 20s, were gathered at the party when the argument took place, police said.

Paul Levy

Man killed in St. Paul house fire is identified

The man who died in a house fire in St. Paul was identified Monday as the lone resident.

Lorenzo Hawkins, 31, was found dead in the bedroom of his duplex in the 1900 block of Upper Afton Road early Sunday, according to the Fire Department. Authorities said that unattended cooking started a smoky kitchen fire about 12:45 a.m.

One firefighter slipped on the ice and was slightly hurt while battling the blaze.

Paul Walsh

Armed felon thrown to death in high speed chase

A violent and armed felon smashed his Harley head-on into a stopped State Patrol cruiser on a southwestern Minnesota highway and was thrown to his death, authorities said Monday.

The crash on Cottonwood County Road 10, about 25 miles northwest of Windom, killed Chad R. Danneman, 33, of Slayton, Minn., according to the State Patrol. Trooper Jeffery J. Stearns of Marshall, Minn., escaped Saturday evening with minor injuries.

According to the patrol:

Danneman, armed with a knife, had eluded separate pursuits by deputies from the Cottonwood and Murray County sheriff's offices. Soon afterward, Trooper Stearns was eastbound on County Road 10 near County Road 5 and spotted Danneman on his motorcycle before him.

Stearns came to a stop and turned on his emergency lights. Danneman raced toward the squad car and struck it head-on. Danneman's criminal history in Minnesota includes two drunken-driving convictions and convictions for felony drug possession, terroristic threats and mistreatment of animals.

Paul Walsh