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Afton man charged in ATV crash that killed two 10-year-olds
Prosecutors say 54-year-old Lance Koeckeritz was working inside a trailer on his property when his daughter and a friend rolled an adult-sized ATV.
AFTON, Minn. — An Afton man is charged with manslaughter and child endangerment in connection with an ATV rollover that killed his daughter and her friend in April 2023.
A criminal complaint filed in Washington County details the allegations against 54-year-old Lance Alan Koeckeritz, who faces four felony counts in the fatal crash, which took place on the defendant’s property in Afton.
Washington County squads were dispatched to an address on Neal Avenue South on the afternoon of April 22, 2023, on reports of an ATV rollover. When they arrived deputies found the mother and sibling of one victim performing CPR on the 10-year-old girls, but lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful. The victims were identified as Savanna Lee Koeckeritz of Afton and Alexis “Lexi” Marie Gibson of Mahtomedi.
Investigators learned that Savanna had invited Lexi for a sleepover at her family’s Afton home, and her mother was going to take the girls to a movie once she got home from work. The mother arrived home at 4:15 p.m. and couldn’t locate the girls. Approximately 45 minutes later another child in the home found the girls pinned face down under an overturned ATV with a footrest on top of their neck and upper chest areas. By the time they could get the ATV off the young victims, the girls “were both cold and blue.”
Neither child was wearing a helmet or protective gear. Autopsies on both Savanna and Lexi found no internal injuries or trauma, and their cause of death was found to be asphyxiation.
Prosecutors allege the defendant, Lance Koeckeritz, was in his work trailer on the property the entire afternoon, and didn’t know what had happened until informed of the accident. He reportedly told detectives the kids are allowed to operate the full-sized, 800cc ATV whenever they wanted, without checking in or asking permission.
The Minnesota DNR recommends children ages 10 and 11 be limited to an ATV with an engine up to just 110cc.
Koeckeritz is charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of child endangerment causing harm or death.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
Gary Peterson and his friends are collecting donations to help people in their community.
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — A St. Louis Park pumpkin display is raising money for their local food shelf.
Gary Peterson started carving and painting three pumpkins over a decade ago. It’s now grown to over 100.
“I’ve heard people say they’ve come from Hutchinson,” he said.
Peterson along with two of his neighbors have spent the last 14 years growing their display, turning it into a neighborhood event.
“It’s been incredible, I just can’t believe how much this has expanded,” he said. “We did it just because we like to and then people were asking to give us money to cover the cost.”
The trio refused to take people’s money, but then one of them had an idea.
“My neighbor, Steve Leensvaart, just mentioned how about we just do it for the STEP program and the STEP program is our local food shelf in St. Louis Park,” he said.
So, they started to collect donations to help families in need. They’ve raised hundreds of dollars and donated hundreds of pounds of food over the last few years, carving for a cause.
“It is more gratifying every year,” Peterson said.
He estimated they have over 100 unique pumpkins in their yard. They’ve created the displays and come up with new family-friendly concepts for people to enjoy. Peterson said about 30 of their neighbors carved their own pumpkins to be put on display, and it’s been a big hit.
“It’s great. In the last couple of years, it’s turned into more of a neighborhood event,” said Sarah Durch.
“We love this Halloween display, we come every year to see it. We love that the whole community gets involved to craft and carve the pumpkins,” said Jami Gordon-Smith.
“The shading and the details are unbelievable,” said Elizabeth Hanson.
Hanson hopes to take her 2-year-old son trick or treating for the first time but is worried the cold temperatures might keep them indoors.
“We’re going trick or treating hopefully,” she said. “He’s going to be a firefighter, but we’re probably going to have sweatshirts maybe like two pairs of sweatpants underneath. We’re going to be bundled up.”
Gordon-Smith said her family will be out Halloween night no matter the weather.
“Halloween only comes once a year, so you really have to take advantage and enjoy the evening no matter what the weather brings,” she said. “Guess it’s not totally unheard of in Minnesota to have a cold Halloween, but we are going to try and modify and do a lot of layers underneath our costumes and then we might add some hats and maybe some warmer socks.”
Durch also isn’t surprised they’re in for another chilly night.
“Well, what would Halloween be without Minnesota cold? I feel like every time you plan a costume you have to plan for how you can make this work if it’s snowing,” she said.
Peterson said they will have a bonfire and some hot chocolate and cider on Halloween to keep trick-or-treaters warm while they look at their pumpkins.
Click here to learn where you can see the pumpkins and how you can donate.
Jeremy Jourdain was 17 when he was last seen on Halloween 2016.
BEMIDJI, Minn. — The search for Jeremy Jourdain, who was last seen on Halloween in 2016, continues now eight years later.
Jourdain was last seen at a family member’s house in Bemidji, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Affairs. He left the residence near the 500 block of Wood Avenue after midnight and while people followed him, no one was able to find him.
Jourdain was 17 at the time.
Officials said he was wearing a blue and grey sweatshirt, and blue jeans when last seen. He is Native American and is described as 6 foot 5 and 175 pounds.
If you have any information on his whereabouts, you can contact the Bemidji Police Department at (218) 333-9111. Tips can also be sent to 1-833-560-2065, or you can email ojs_mmu@bia.gov.
