Star Tribune
Prison for for Twin Cities man who fled police, caused wreck that killed young mom
A 21-year-old Minneapolis man has received a term topping 13 years for causing a two-vehicle crash while fleeing police in Robbinsdale that killed a young mother and severely injured her husband.
Quintin Leon Hudson was sentenced Thursday in Hennepin County District Court after pleading guilty to fleeing police resulting in death, and fleeing police resulting in great bodily harm, in connection with the crash on July 8, 2023, at 36th and Orchard avenues N., where he broadsided a minivan following a brief pursuit by police.
Emily Gerding, 34, of Crystal, died. Her husband, John Gerding, 35, was seriously injured.
With credit for time in jail after his arrest, Hudson is expected to serve roughly 8¾ years in prison and the balance of his 13¾-year term on supervised release.
The Gerdings worked as special education teachers at Coon Rapids Middle School, according to a spokeswoman for the Anoka-Hennepin School District.
Daughters Emelia, now 7, and Eleanor, now 4, were not in the vehicle.
“My thoughts are with Emily’s family, especially her husband, John, and their children,” read a post-sentencing statement from Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.
“John and Emily … made a difference in the lives of so many members of our community,” Moriarty’s statement continued. “While the impact of this tragedy is most acutely felt by Emily’s family, our community now suffers as well. Mr. Hudson’s reckless actions took one life and affected many more.”
Star Tribune
Wealthy lakes town with giant metal storage sites known as ‘Tin City’
CROSSLAKE — This wealthy lakes community with the hottest housing market in the state is fighting a new, not-so-upscale nickname — “Tin City.”
Giant metal pole buildings, also known as “barndominiums,” are taking over Crosslake. Drive through this tourist town of 2,500 people north of Brainerd, and you’ll see boat marinas and rows of traditional self-storage rental units, like those drab garage bays featured on the reality-TV show “Storage Wars.”
But now the trend is bigger, pricier personal storage buildings. Rather than renting from one of the more than 500 self-storages across town, or paying a business to store expensive toys in the off-season, rich homeowners and vacationers are building their own luxury storage.
“This area is always going to have more storage than most other communities. I mean, 40% of our land is water and the majority of our homes here are on the lake. And so there is naturally just going to be a higher demand for storage,” said Paul Satterlund, the city’s new planning and zoning administrator.
The oversized personal storage buildings are essentially like a second home. They contain bars, bathrooms, fireplaces, big-screen TV and even a bedroom or the occasional stuffed standing bear mount. The buildings range in size from 6,000 to 12,000 square feet, sell for more than a half a million dollars, and are mostly made of metal paneling.
Crosslake saw massive growth following the pandemic, with hundreds of people moving there to work remotely or retire. What accompanied that surge is a lot more tin. Already 60 of these personal storage buildings have been built in recent years and dozens are in the queue.
But the city is trying to restrict, and potentially prohibit, these from further proliferating.
Brad Nelson, left, visits with Dean Eggena and his partner, Cynthia Holden, in his storage unit in Eggena’s development outside Crosslake earlier this month. Private storage units in Crosslake range in size from 6,000 to 12,000 square feet, are made of metal and sell for more than a half a million dollars. (Jeff Wheeler/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Officials have enacted several moratoriums over the past decade to stall the construction of storage units. The latest ban was lifted in October, but new personal storage can no longer have living quarters and owners must limit how much metal paneling is used.
Star Tribune
Boy, 14, charged with fatally shooting 13-year-old boy in Twin Cities home.
A 14-year-old boy has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a 13-year-old boy in a Minneapolis home last month, officials said Friday.
The boy was charged by juvenile petition in Hennepin County District Court alleging that he shot the younger teen on Nov. 5 , said County Attorney’s Office spokesman Daniel Borgertpoepping said.
Borgertpoepping said state data practices laws prevent him from releasing more information about the case because of the boy’s age.
Also Friday, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office said Quadir Deangelo Blackwell was shot once in a head about 1:30 a.m. in a home in the 2400 block of Ferrant Place. The manner of death was listed as homicide.
“The death of a child is always incredibly troubling and tragic,” Police Chief Brian O’Hara soon after the shooting. “In addition to supporting the families that are impacted by this tragedy, everyone must make every effort to ensure that every gun is securely stored.”
According to police, officers arrived at the home to find that the 13-year-old had been shot once. They provided immediate aid to the teen, but he died at the scene.
“Preliminary information indicates that a 14-year-old boy was handling a gun when the 13-year-old boy was shot,” the police statement continued.
The 14-year-old remained at the scene, was arrested and booked into the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center.
Star Tribune
45-year sentence for guilty plea from brazen Minneapolis shooting
Police identified the car as belonging to Elizabeth A. Dominguez, 29, of Brooklyn Park. They tracked her car and cellphone and, one week after the shooting, Dominguez was arrested driving west on Interstate 94 near St. Cloud. The KIA had new license plates and when Dominguez was pulled over she was attempting to delete text messages off her phone.
Her phone was filled with phone calls and text messages to Timberlake, her boyfriend, including on the day of the shooting. The day after the shooting, Timberlake texted Dominguez, “Avis and budget roseville,” and “Say Bobby sent you for a rental.”
Dominguez also had internet searches on her phone for “stolen plates dmv,” “replacement license plate MN,” and “southside minneapolis shooting.” She was charged with felony aiding an offender after the fact and is currently out on $100,000 bail. Her next court date is Feb. 6, 2025.
Two weeks after the shooting, Victor M. Collins, 22, of Anoka, was arrested after fleeing police who were given a tip that he was armed and selling drugs. A search of Collins and his backpack found a new street drug called “Tusi,” a mixture of fentanyl, ketamine, cocaine, MDA, MDMA, and tramadol. Police also found a pistol.
A ballistic check on the gun matched the shell casings at the shooting near Minneapolis Market.
Police used location data on Collins’ cellphone to place him at the scene of the shooting. It also showed that his cell phone and Timberlake’s cell phone were together before, after and during the shooting. Collins stands charged with one count of second-degree murder, three counts of attempted second-degree murder and one count of illegal possession of a firearm. He is being held on $1 million bail and his next court date is Feb. 18.