The juvenile driver of a 1989 red Mazda carrying four passengers struck a 1993 Ford Taurus driven by Vera Underdahl of Austin at 5:20 p.

Tuesday, January 09, 2001

The juvenile driver of a 1989 red Mazda carrying four passengers struck a 1993 Ford Taurus driven by Vera Underdahl of Austin at 5:20 p.m. on Jan. 8. Underdahl’s husband, Everett Underdahl, was a passenger in the Taurus.

Underdahl was exiting the Burger King parking lot in the 1400 block of Fourth Street NW when she was struck by the vehicle driven by the driver of the Mazda. The juvenile said that the Taurus "came out of nowhere."

When police arrived on the scene, they discovered that the juvenile driver was driving without a license or permit.

All drivers and passengers were examined by Gold Cross Ambulance drivers and were taken to the Austin Medical Center (AMC). Released from AMC were the Underdahls, the juvenile driver, a juvenile passenger, Chak Lev and Veasna Thvok.

The investigation is ongoing.

Man arrested for stealing Fed Ex truck

Jessie Padron, 18, of Austin, was arrested at 3:42 p.m. on Jan. 8 for theft of a Federal Express truck and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Federal Express driver Joel Arends exited the Target store and noticed that his company vehicle was missing. When he spotted it, it was headed toward Blockbuster Video. Arends and another man followed the vehicle to Blockbuster and pulled Padron from the truck.

During the struggle, Padron damaged a 1996 Pontiac Grand Am with either his head or his body.

When police arrived on the scene, Padron admitted that he was under the influence of both "shroomies and acid."

Padron is in jail, pending an appearance in court.

Tools stolen from Austin garage

Tools totaling $5,180 in value were stolen from a garage at 405 Fifth Place NW. Trent Kartes, 27, of Blooming Prairie reported the theft, saying that he last saw the tools on Jan. 1.

The garage was locked and there was no sign of forced entry. However, Austin police officers said that the latch on the walk-in door to the garage could be easily opened without a great deal of force.

Other tools and a snowblower in the garage were not moved. No suspects have been named and the investigation is ongoing.

Suspect sought in check passing fraud

A heavy-set man with dark hair and glasses, driving an older black Dodge pick-up with a topper attempted to pass a fraudulent check at First Farmer’s and Merchant’s Bank in Brownsdale.

When a teller at the bank refused to cash the check, knowing that the individual was not the person listed on the check, he drove away.

The same individual successfully passed a check at the First Farmer’s and Merchant’s Bank in Sargeant. The Mower County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the incident.