Terese Amazi has been commended by the Minnesota State Patrol for leadership and action after the jail escape March 25 of three murder suspects.

Monday, April 09, 2001

Terese Amazi has been commended by the Minnesota State Patrol for leadership and action after the jail escape March 25 of three murder suspects.

Amazi, chief deputy in the Mower County Sheriff’s Department, was commended in a letter from Cpl. Scott Wendt of Lyle, a member of the Minnesota State Patrol.

The Mower County Board of Commissioners heard a letter from the MSP’s Wendt read into the official record at their Tuesday meeting last week.

In the absence of Mower County Sheriff Barry J. Simonson, Amazi took over after three St. Paul men charged in connection with the June 30, 2000, robbery-killings at the Downtown Motel overpowered jail detention officers and escaped from the Mower County Jail.

Amazi organized search efforts for the fugitives and the initial investigation into the jail escape.

One of the fugitives broke a leg when he fell from a second-story office window in the jail, which is located atop the Mower County Government Center and Austin-Mower County Law Enforcement Center in downtown Austin. He was immediately recaptured by two Austin Police Department officers.

The other two fugitives were recaptured at an Oakdale residence 54 hours after their escape.

All three are in custody, facing both the new escape and assault of the detention officers charges as well as first degree premeditated murder and other charges stemming from the June 30 incidents at the Downtown Motel.

Amazi, a former Mower County Sheriff’s Department deputy, was promoted to the chief deputy’s position after the retirement of long-time Chief Deputy Garry Ellingson.

Also commended at last Tuesday’s meeting was the Mower County Department of Human Services by the state DHS, who praised the county’s efforts in the areas of child support recovery and financial accounting.

In other action, the county commissioners:

Approved the finance committee’s recommendation to hire two summer office staff in the Mower County Extension Service office and to staff a booth for the Mower County agricultural services office at the county fair in August. Also approved was a recommendation to hire under a six-month-long personal services contract for the Mower County Public Health office.

Approved proclamations for Public Health Week and for the Mower County volunteer recognition program. The annual county volunteer recognition banquet takes place April 23.

Delayed action on a proposed amendment to the Austin-Mower County Home Ownership joint powers agreement at the request of Len Miller, Fourth District county commissioner.

Approved changes to the county’s moving permit policy, that involved a clarification of language in the policy.

Call Lee Bonorden at 434-2232 or e-mail him at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com.