In recent months, the number of general disturbances in two apartment complexes in Minneota has increased and Police Chief Bill Bolt is working with landlords to remedy the problem.

Police work with landlords over disturbances

In recent months, the number of general disturbances in two apartment complexes in Minneota has increased and Police Chief Bill Bolt is working with landlords to remedy the problem.

“I'm not putting this all on the property managers,” said Bolt. “Typically, they do a good job working with me.”

“I've seen the number of disturbances increase in the last 90 days or so. I'm working with landlords to help them screen potential tenants using background checks and things like that.”

The disturbances range from loud noises to domestic assaults, Bolt said. Many of these are attributed to intoxicated individuals.

In a recent disturbance, a tenant at one apartment reported a domestic assault between a son and his father. “I witnessed it myself with I arrived,” Bolt said.

“One of the tenants at the apartment building reported the incident. When I got there, I saw the son punching and kicking his father.”

Bolt took into consideration the number of individuals witnessing the events, including children.

“I had to draw my taser, which I don’t like doing with people around, especially kids,” he said.

“I arrested the son and had to call an ambulance for his father.” The son was later released, but failed to show for his court appearance.

“The father and son are now out of the area,” Bolt said. “But there is a warrant out for the son’s arrest.”

Another incident involving an intoxicated male at an apartment dwelling resulted in Bolt being assaulted when the individual spat on him.

A disturbing photo of the incident in which Bolt’s head and face were covered with saliva was posted on the city’s Facebook page.

“We try to maintain peace and resolve these calls, but sometimes they just get out of hand,” he said. Bolt said these types of instances can have a ripple effect and breed over to the community at-large.

“They can happen anywhere,” he insisted. “These issues are not isolated incidents that can only happen at apartments. They can happen in a store, bar, park or the streets.”

Landlords typically favor having apartments filled with tenants, but can actually benefit more by not renting to unfavorable tenants.

“I’ve been telling the property managers or landlords that sometimes it’s cheaper to not have someone in the apartment that ends up failing to pay rent or utilities, damages property, or drives out the good tenants. So I will continue to work with them in an attempt to reduce or eliminate these types of disturbances.”

Minneota boasts one of the most affordable housing and rental properties in Lyon County, Bolt noted. “Being only 12 or 13 miles from Marshall, many people want to come here to live,” he said.

“But we want to entice law-abiding citizens who are respectful and show common courtesy to others.”

Man arrested on criminal sexual conduct charges

Timothy Richard Larson, 19, of Marshall was arrested on felony charges of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree following an incident in a vehicle on Oct. 27 in Minneota.

According to a complaint filed with Lyon County Courts, the alleged sexual assault occurred on Oct. 27, was reported on Oct. 28, and Larson was arrested on Oct. 29.

Larson was ordered to have no contact with the victim or witnesses, stay a reasonable distance from the victim’s residence, pay bail, not to leave the state without written court approval, make all court appearances, refrain from using alcohol or drugs, refrain from patronizing bars or liquor stores, and other conditions.

His initial court appearance was held on Nov. 14. His omnibus is scheduled for Nov. 28. No other details have been released.

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