Latest ND news from AP for Tues Feb 22

Winter Weather-Upper Midwest

Multi-vehicle crash in North Dakota blamed on storm system

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — A storm system coming in behind unseasonably warm weather has led to a chain-reaction crash that shut down part of an interstate in eastern North Dakota amid forecasts for heavy snow in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The crash happened on Interstate 94 west of Fargo Monday morning. That was shortly before the National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning in eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota. North Dakota Highway Patrol Lt. Troy Hischer says a half-dozen people were injured and taken to Fargo hospitals. Hischer tells KFGO radio he believes five semi-trailer trucks and eight other vehicles were involved in the crash. It started with a collision between two vehicles.

CHILD DEATHS-ARRESTS

4 arrested in separate cases involving 2 child deaths

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Authorities say four adults were arrested in Bismarck over the weekend in separate incidents involving the deaths of a young boy and an infant girl. Three caretakers for a 5-year-old boy were arrested on suspicion of child neglect and abuse after the boy died at a Bismarck hospital Friday night. The victim was discovered in the home with numerous injuries.  He was unconscious and not breathing when first responders arrived. In the other case, a 26-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of child neglect after police responded to a call of an unresponsive infant. The Bismarck Tribune reports that the woman’s 3-week-old daughter was dead when authorities arrived.

FATAL FIRE-FARGO

1 dead in Fargo apartment fire, cause of blaze undetermined

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — One person has been found dead in an apartment fire in Fargo. Firefighters responded to the Birchwood apartments about 6:30 p.m. Sunday. The building was evacuated and crews had the fire extinguished within 10 minutes. Officials say the victim was found in a lower-level apartment. No one else was injured. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

SEMI-HOGS-CRASH

Semi with load of hogs crashes in blizzard conditions in ND

THOMPSON, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota State Patrol says blizzard conditions on Interstate 29 caused a semi driver with a load of hogs to roll the rig. The accident happened Sunday about 2 p.m. near Thompson. The patrol says whiteout conditions caused the driver to end up in the median and as he attempted to get back on the highway the load shifted and the trailer rolled over. Patrol Sgt. Matt Johnson says many of the hogs were salvageable and alive following the crash. The driver was on his way from Canada to Wisconsin when the accident occurred. T

CHILD PORN-SENTENCE

Former teacher sentenced to probation on child porn charges

MINOT, N.D. (AP) — A former Minot elementary teacher and retired U.S. Air Force member has been sentenced to five years of supervised probation on child pornography charges. Forty-seven-year-old Richard Owen Ditmars, was sentenced on Thursday to five years in prison, all suspended but the 30 days he already served in the Ward County Jail, for  felony child pornography. He was sentenced to 10 years, all suspended, for felony promotion of a sexual performance by a minor child. Ward County Assistant State’s Attorney Tiffany Sorgen says she agreed to the relatively light sentence because Ditmars took responsibility for his actions immediately and expressed appropriate remorse.

SEMI CRASH

Man dead after semitrailer slams head-on into car

STANLEY, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota man is dead after a semitrailer smashed into his car. The North Dakota Highway Patrol said in a statement that the 26-year-old Stanley man had parked his Ford Taurus facing north in the southbound lanes of state Highway 8 about 20 miles south of Stanley just after midnight Saturday. The semitrailer crested a hill and hit the Taurus head-on. Both vehicles ended up in ditches. The Stanley man was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not released his name pending notification of next of kin.