LINCOLN COUNTY, SD – One person died this afternoon in a one-vehicle crash 4 miles north of Lennox, S.D.

The names of the persons involved have not been released pending notification of family members.

Preliminary crash information indicates a 2013 GMC Yukon was driving westbound on 274th St. which is a gravel road.  For an unknown reason, just east of SD Hwy 17, the Yukon left the road (274th St.) to the right, entered a ditch, and rolled coming to rest on its roof.

The 14-year-old male driver of the GMC Yukon sustained minor injuries.

He was not wearing a seatbelt.

There were three passengers.

The 10-year-old female passenger sustained minor injuries.

She was wearing a seatbelt.

The 6-year-old female passenger sustained serious non-life-threatening injuries.  She was taken by ambulance to Sanford Hospital.

Seatbelt use is under investigation.

The 4-year-old male passenger sustained fatal injuries.

He was not wearing a seatbelt.

South Dakota’s Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. All information released so far is only preliminary.

The Highway Patrol is an agency of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.

 

PIERRE, SD – One person has died in a plane crash one mile north of Pierre.

Hughes County Sheriff Patrick Callahan, in a release posted to Facebook, says a single engine airplane was located around 4:35 pm in rough terrain a half mile west of state highway 1804.

Central South Dakota Communications received a call from the pilot saying his plane had gone down northwest of Pierre near the Missouri River.  Two people were taken to Avera St, Mary’s Hospital in Pierre.

The pilot is in stable condition while a passenger was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The crash site is being protected by the Hughes County Sheriff’s Office.  Those involved in the crash were visiting the area and not from South Dakota.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are expected to arrive in Pierre Tuesday to begin an investigation.  The cause of the crash is unknown at this time.

Responding the crash were the Hughes County Sheriff, Pierre Police, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Game, Fish and Parks, D-C-I, F-B-I, Pierre Fire, Hughes County Rural Fire, Pierre Airport Fire, A-M-R Ambulance and Hughes County Coroner.

 

PIERRE, SD – South Dakota Railroad Board approves Special Transportation Circumstance grant applications.

The South Dakota Railroad Board approved grant requests for several projects through the Fiscal Year 2022-23 allocation of Special Transportation Circumstance grant funds. The grant program is offered through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program.

The Sisseton Milbank Railroad received $3,241,040 in funding. Other recipients were Rapid City, Pierre, and Eastern Railroad for $14,062,328, the Dakota, Missouri Valley and Western Railroad for $17,600,360, the Belle Fourche Economic Development Corporation for $837,440, the Dakota & Iowa Railroad for $9,957,245, and the Ringneck and Western Railroad for $8,310,932.

According to Joel Jundt, South Dakota’s Transportation Secretary, the funds are dedicated to improving South Dakota’s freight railroad infrastructure, vital to our economy’s continued growth and development.

 

RUTLAND, SD – Oldham-Ramona-Rutland School District is asking Community Members to vote for a nearly $15 million bond issue after voters struck it down in September with a $19 million estimate.

The District has scaled back the construction, according to the agenda paperwork from the Wednesday, October 4, 2023, School Board meeting; Tom Oster from CO-OP Architects and the building committee came up with cuts to take the project from $18,800,000 to $15,950,000.

The playground equipment will come from existing playgrounds, and the practice field and football field will be similar to the fields the school currently has, without grandstands. The track will be dug out but not finished with asphalt, and the School District will do the bus shed.

If passed, the “move-in date” would be December 2025.

A plan B will be presented after the structural engineers assess the Ramona and Rutland school buildings in early November.

The District’s Superintendent, Dawn Hoeke, says a new school is needed because of the small size of the district, being in a single building makes the school more efficient and effective, rather than two separate schools, 16 miles apart, and both are over 100 years old.

Last time, the vote failed 305 – No and 277 – Yes.

Property taxes on this proposed $15 million bond would increase an estimated .98 cents on every $100,000 worth of property.

 

 

SIOUX CENTER, IA – A South Dakota man has been arrested on drug, assault, and bribery charges after incidents at a Sioux Center hotel and the Sioux Center hospital.

According to a criminal complaint filed with the Sioux County Clerk of Court’s Office by the Sioux Center Police Department, 28-year-old Daniel Baer of Onaka, South Dakota (near Aberdeen) is accused of harassing an employee at the hotel and causing a scene. He was arrested on Sunday, October 22nd.

In his statement, the officer states that there was a report of a guest at the Sioux Center Holiday Inn Express harassing the front desk employee. The officer says the guest, Baer, was arrested for public intoxication. He was transported to the Sioux Center Health Emergency Room for medical clearance, per jail policy. The officer says once Baer was medically cleared, he allegedly became extremely combative. The officer also says that Baer offered money bribes to two officers to be released. He says Baer was allegedly extremely loud and caused distress to other families and children at the emergency room. He is also accused of assaulting two officers, and possessing a THC vape pen.

Baer was charged with bribery and assaulting officers, both class D felonies . If convicted of a class D felony, Baer could face up to five years in prison. He also faces misdemeanor charges of possession of cannabidiol and drug paraphernalia, making loud noises, interference with official acts, and public intoxication.

He faces a preliminary hearing on the charges on Tuesday, October 31st.

Baer was released the same day he was arrested after posting a $5000 bond.