Seven male juveniles, who escaped early today from the Minnesota’s Sheriff’s Youth Program Austin Ranch School, were apprehended.

Wednesday, March 07, 2001

Seven male juveniles, who escaped early today from the Minnesota’s Sheriff’s Youth Program Austin Ranch School, were apprehended.

According to a Mower County Sheriff’s Departments report, the juveniles are being held at the Many Rivers Detention Center in Rochester, pending their return to Austin to face charges stemming from their escape.

The escape was reported at 3 a.m. today, when an adult male staff at the Austin Ranch School was over-powered, struck in the face with a flashlight wielded by one of the escapees and tied up and place in a basement closet of one of the housing units.

The youths took the staff’s pickup truck keys and money and made their escape in the vehicle.

The adult staff member was able to free himself from the closet and was discovered by other Austin Ranch School juveniles. He notified authorities, who broadcast a description of the stolen vehicle and the youths.

About 90 minutes later, the vehicle was spotted going the wrong way along Interstate 90. Stop-sticks were deployed to halt the vehicle and the youths taken into custody by Rochester police officers, Olmsted County Sheriff’s Department deputies and a Minnesota State Patrol trooper.

According to Mower County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Terese Amazi, the youths faces charges including escape, fleeing police officers and assault as well as theft.

A knife and the flashlight used in the attack on the SYP employee were recovered, when stopped near the Highway 63 exit from I-90.

The SYP employee received medical treatment at a Rochester hospital for wounds suffered when struck by the flashlight-wielding youths.

According to Chief Deputy Amazi, the youths had planned their escape for two days before executing the plan.

Students face charges

Three Ellis Middle School students face charges after they were caught in possession of alcoholic beverages at the Austin school.

Allegedly, one student brought the wine coolers to school and made them available to two friends.

According to an Austin Police Department report, EMS school officials received information that students may have consumed alcohol on the premises. The Austin Independent School District police liaison officer was informed and an investigation revealed the information to be true.

Wine coolers were found in the possession of students after a locker inspection was done.

The three students, two females aged 14 and one aged 15, face charges of minor consuming, possession of alcohol and contributing to the delinquency of minors by making the alcohol available.