Dakota County
Tribune
Farmington | Rosemount and the surrounding areas www.dakotacountytribune.com
NEWS
August 15, 2013 • Volume 129 • Number 24
Bull on the loose at the fair
Fun at the fair
More Dakota County Fair pictures From fair judging to John Dillinger. Page 11A
Deputy fires contact rounds into animal by Andy Rogers SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
OPINION Honoring a variety of skills Talents come in different forms. Page 4A
THISWEEKEND
The All American Lumberjack Show invited children to try various lumberjack activities Aug. 10 at the Dakota County Fair in Farmington. For more photos from this year’s county fair Aug. 5-11, visit www.sunthisweek.com/tag/dakota-countyfair-2013. (Photo by Rick Orndorf)
A sense of panic ran through the Dakota County Fairgrounds on Wednesday night when an event put on by a Princeton-based bull riding company turned dangerous. During a Bulls and Barrels event at the Dakota County Fair, at approximately 8:24 p.m. Aug. 7, a bull named Red 43 broke through its pen and ran into a crowd of fair attendees, injuring eight bystanders and a county deputy. Barbara Goggins of Cottage Grove was airlifted to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis with a head injury. By late last week, Goggins was upgraded to satisfactory condition. One of the injured was Dakota County Deputy See BULL, 8A
Farmington school district could decrease levy by almost 60 percent Location Equity Revenue option would lower property taxes by Andy Rogers SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Beethoven with a twist An offbeat take on Beethoven’s “Fidelio” is coming to Caponi Art Park in Eagan. Page 19A
The Farmington School Board is weighing an option that would decrease its operation property tax levy by about 60 percent for the 2014-15 school year and beyond. All the board would have to do is nothing. The 2013 Minnesota Legislature passed a Location Equity Revenue option allowing the school district $424 per pupil. Unless the school district opts out, it will receive the revenue, leaving the re-
maining level at about $289 with inflation. Another change this year is that the Legislature is allowing school districts to convert up to $300 from Voter Approved Levy to a Board Approved Levy. The option would mean there would be no levy election in 2017 and the board could approve one of its own up to $300 every year. “I struggle taking power away from voters for these levies; however, I do like the fact that it would save taxpayers significantly and giving us a generated revSee LEVY, 6A
SPORTS
Incumbents face one challenger in District 196 race Angrimson wants higher teacher pay by Jessica Harper SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Kickoff approaches; optimism rises Rosemount, Farmington teams have reason to look forward to football season. Page 12A
ONLINE
Incumbents in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School Board race will face only one challenger this November. Apple Valley resident Craig Angrimson filed for candidacy this week along with incumbents Art Coulson, Gary Huusko and Mike Roseen. The four contenders will face off for three four-year term seats on the District 196 School Board.
INDEX Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Announcements . . . . . xA Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . xA Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . xA Public Notices . . . . . . . xA
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by Andy Rogers SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
The Farmington Police Department participated in its own demolition derby of sorts last week while chasing a suspect along Highway 3. Patrick Christopher Armstrong, 28, of Rosemount, led police on a chase that resulted in damage to three Farmington police cars on Aug. 6. According to the police report, Armstrong called officers in Farmington stating that he was in his vehicle in Rambling River Park and he had a gun, knife and sword. He said he wanted four squad cars to show up and he was going
See RACE, 8A
Police Explorers step up after bull escapes during fair Gage Litzner one of first responding to critically injured woman by Andy Rogers SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
It was a relatively busy evening at the Dakota County Fair on Aug. 7 with people chomping down on corn dogs, mingling among the livestock and seeing who won the blue ribbons.
But the mood was about to turn from joy to chaos quickly. Fairgoer Keith Haskell was chatting with officers at the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office booth when they heard a call come out See EXPLORERS, 8A
roads around him before he went mobile.” But before they were able to surround him, Armstrong fled northbound on Highway 3, swerving in and out of traffic. Police officers conducted pursuit intervention techniques, where police used their own vehicles to strike Armstrong’s car, which eventually forced the vehicle off the road near Empire Township. Three police cars made contact with Armstrong’s vehicle. The first marked police vehicle forced the suspect’s car to do a 360-degree turn and the second car suffered frontend damage while attempting to push the suspect’s
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to force officers to kill him when they arrived. He also warned he was a large man and would be combative. “He made claims of being armed and suicidal,” Farmington Police Chief Brian Lindquist said. “It obviously gave us quite a bit of concern because parks tend to be a place where there are lots of young people.” When officers arrived at the park, they found Armstrong in an eastern parking lot and dispatch made attempts to contact him again. “He made some rather disparaging comments about hurting police and himself,” Lindquist said. “We tried to close down
car off the road. The third car suffered damage to its passenger side. Armstrong exited his vehicle, but refused to comply with officers’ orders. Officers discharged their stun guns three times before incapacitating Armstrong and he was taken into custody. “There were no injuries to police or himself,” Lindquist said. “It was just a bad day for property.” A search of Armstrong’s car revealed a folding knife in the passenger seat, a knife in the glove box, a small sword in the trunk and an opened bottle of whiskey in the front passenger door. The department didn’t
charge him with an alcohol-related offense. The police report did not mention finding a gun. He was charged with fleeing a peace officer and obstructing the legal process, both felonies, which carry a maximum combined sentence of eight years in custody and/or a $15,000 fine. Two of the vehicles are expected to be repaired, but Lindquist said, “I haven’t heard back from insurance, but considering the damage and how much the car is worth, there’s a high probability it will be totaled.” Email Andy Rogers at andy.rogers@ecm-inc.com.
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pay increases for district teachers. “The teachers in 196 are great, but I think they aren’t taken care of the way they should be,” he said. Angrimson noted that district teachers incurred pay freezes for several years, and commended Superintendent Jane Berenz for accepting a freeze along with them. If elected, Angrimson said he will work to ensure teachers receive equitable
Farmington police chase ends with three damaged police cars
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“It’s something I’ve wanted to do all my life,” Angrimson, 57, said. “The community has given me so much. I felt it was time to give back.” He added that he hopes to provide a new perspective to the board. The father of a 16-yearold Eastview High School junior, Angrimson said he believes District 196 is a strong school district but could improve in some areas. Specifically, Angrimson said he hopes to push for
Rosemount’s Gage Litzner, a captain in the Explorers program, was one of the first responders to the scene of a woman trampled by a loose bull at the Dakota County Fair last week. (Photo submitted)
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