Public Safety Briefs

Blaze ruins house north of town
BROOKINGS — A fire late Sunday afternoon left a residence northwest of the city a likely total loss.

Crews responded to 2531 30th Street West just after 5 p.m. Sunday to find a fire that the occupant said began outside the home and then spread into the interior. All residents and pets were evacuated before first responders arrived.

Agencies responding to the incident included the Brookings Fire Department, all six Brookings County fire departments, the Brookings County Sheriff’s Office and Brookings Ambulance. Fire crews were on scene for approximately three hours.
Property owners Dan and Donna Miller of Brookings estimated the damage to be approximately $350,000. A local representative from the American Red Cross was notified and was assisting the two displaced renters.

No injuries to residents or firefighters were reported.

— Josh Linehan

Name released in fatal crash

LAKE COUNTY — The name of a Nunda man killed in a single-vehicle accident southwest of Madison was released by state investigators.

According to the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, David James Hanson was killed when the 2010 Lincoln MKX he was driving left the road and hit a tree stump in a grass field.

Hanson, 66, was traveling west on Tuesday, April 14 around 2:30 p.m. when the wreck occurred about three miles southwest of Madison. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Hanson was not wearing a seat belt.
The South Dakota Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. All information released so far is preliminary.

— Josh Linehan

Tractor fire put out

BROOKINGS — Brookings County first responders and the Bruce Fire Department put out a tractor fire on April 21 in a field northwest of the city.

Crews were dispatched to the field owned by John Vade Weerd of Bruce around 6:15 p.m.

Vande Weerd told responders he was planting when he received an alert indicating engine failure. After he stopped and exited the cab he saw flames coming from beneath the tractor.

The tractor was fully engulfed with flames when crews responded, though the attached planter sustained only minor damage.

Because the field had been recently worked for planting, the fire did not spread.

Crews were on the scene for around an hour and a half, and no injuries were reported. No damage estimate was available immediately.

— Josh Linehan

Checkpoints planned

PIERRE — The South Dakota Highway Patrol will hold sobriety checkpoints in 21 counties throughout the month of May. Checkpoints are planned for Brule, Butte, Codington, Davison, Edmunds, Hamlin, Hanson, Jackson, Jerauld, Lawrence, Lincoln, Meade, Minnehaha, Moody/Lake, Pennington, Roberts, Sanborn, Spink, Stanley and Yankton counties.

The enforcement effort is aimed at reducing impaired driving and improving roadway safety. Funding for the checkpoints is provided by the South Dakota Office of Highway Safety, and operations will be carried out by the Highway Patrol in coordination with local law enforcement.

Motorists are reminded to make responsible choices and avoid driving after drinking alcohol, whether or not a checkpoint is planned in their area. Drivers who plan to drink should arrange for a designated sober driver or use public or commercial transportation.

— SD Dept. of Public Safety

Suicide prevention
training
BROOKINGS — The Brookings Public Library will be offering a Question Persuade Refer (QPR) training in partnership with SDSU Extension on Wednesday, April 29 at 6 p.m.
This training teaches community members ways to save lives and reduce suicidal behaviors. The hour and a half long session provides attendees with a simple three-step system that prepares them to be a source for suicide prevention in their families and communities.

Just as people trained in CPR help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help.

All are welcome to join in this learning opportunity, though spots are limited and registration is required. Register on the Library’s website or at bit.ly/regbpl starting April 22. If all spots are
full, please join the waitlist and more spots may become available.

More information can be found on the Brookings Public Library website calendar.