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Joseph Wayne Giarina, 35, from New Ulm died Wednesday 5/31, when the Lincoln car he was driving collided with a Chevy pickup driven by Bryan Keith Thornton, 46, of Madelia, at the the intersection of County Road 13 and County Road 25, causing the Lincoln to roll.
Thornton received non-life threatening injuries and was taken to New Ulm Medical Center by Sleepy Eye Ambulance.
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Incident Number: 15200679 Incident Date/Time: 4/23/2015 4:49:00 PM
MSP District: 2200 Incident Contact: MN State Patrol District 2200 – (507) 344-2750
Number of Individuals: 4
Number of Vehicles: 2
Location: Hwy 4 & Brown Co Rd 29 Road Type: Black Top
Milepost: 68 Road Condition: Dry
County: Brown Number of Lanes: 2
Crash Type: Broadside Divided/Undivided: UNDIVIDED ROADWAY
Incident Classification: FATAL Hazardous Material: NOT PRESENT
Assisting Agencies:
BROWN COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE
SLEEPY EYE POLICE DEPARTMENT
Person 1: Rodriguez-Becerra, Maria D , 22 , OF New Hampton IA , DRIVER OF VEH 1 , Phys. Cond. : Serious Injury
Person 2: Johnson, Mary E , 24 , OF Fairfax MN , DRIVER OF VEH 2 , Phys. Cond. : Injury – Non life threatening
Person 3: Rodriguez, Yesenia P , 17 , OF New Hampton IA , PASSENGER OF VEH 1 , Phys. Cond. : Injury – Non life threatening
Person 4: Rodriguez, Daisy M , 14 , OF New Hamption IA , PASSENGER OF VEH 1 , Phys. Cond. : Deceased
Vehicle 1:
2011 Chevrolet Malibu
Vehicle 2:
2007 Ford Edge
IncidentDescription: Chevrolet Malibu was West bound on Brown County Road #29. Ford Edge was North bound on Hwy 4. Chevrolet Malibu & Ford Edge collided at the intersection of Hwy 4 & Brown Co Rd #29. Sleepy Eye Ambulance & Fire Department responded.
The Brown Co. Sheriff has arrested a Springfield man and charged him with second degree murder for the death of a 23-year-old woman (Amber Lechuga) whose remains were found in a burning minivan near Sleepy Eye September 25th.
Miguel Vasquez, 26, is expected to be charged Friday afternoon.
Brown Co. Sheriff Chief Deputy Jason Seidl said the suspect called 911 on Sept. 25 to report an auto accident and assault along Highway 4 south of Sleepy Eye. When police arrived they found the man partially clothed and smelling of gasoline, and the minivan engulfed in flames. The man told police he had been struck in the head and doused with gasoline. He suffered minor burns.
Law Enforcement and the Sleepy Eye Fire Department later found the remains of Luchuga in the van.
OFFICIAL BROWN CO. NEWS RELEASE
Date of Incident: 09-25-2014
Time of Incident: 2133 hours
Location of Incident: South of Sleepy Eye (approximately 3 ½ miles south on Highway 4 near the Cottonwood River)
Names, Ages, Address of Person(s) involved:
Amber Elena Lechuga 22 20 ½ East Central, Springfield Deceased
Miguel Angel Vasquez 26 20 ½ East Central, Springfield Arrested
Details of Incident: On Thursday October 2, 2014 the Brown County Sheriff’s Office received Nuclear DNA results from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension that identified the remains found in the van in the reported traffic accident/assault as that of Amber Elena Lechuga. The cause of death was determined to be homicide.
As a result of the investigation by the Brown County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Miguel Angel Vasquez was arrested on the charges of Murder in the Second Degree (MnSS 609.19 subd 1(1)) in the homicide death of Amber Elena Lechuga.
Miguel Angel Vazquez was arrested without incident in Sleepy Eye on Thursday October 2, 2014 at approximately 1615 hours.
A copy of the Criminal Complaint can be obtained from the Brown County Court Administrator’s Office.
Miguel Angel Vasquez is scheduled to appear in Brown County Court on Friday 10-03-2014 at 1600 hours on the charges.
Sleepy Eye ONLINE has chosen to omit some details of the crime. Here are some links to the complete story if you would like to read more:
According to the New Ulm Journal, 23-year old Amber Lechuga of Springfield has been identified as the the victim of the possible homicide which took place south of Sleepy Eye, by the Cottonwood River on September 25th.
The Brown Co. Sheriff Department has yet to release names involved in the incident, but the Journal reported name confirmation of the burned body found in a van via the father of the victim.
Date of Incident: 09-25-2014
Time of Incident: 2133 hours
Location of Incident: South of Sleepy Eye (approximately 3 ½ miles south on Highway 4 near the Cottonwood River)
Names, Ages, Address of Person(s) involved:
The names of the individuals involved are being withheld at this time.
Details of Incident:
On Thursday September 25, 2014 at approximately 9:30 p.m. the Brown County Sheriff’s Office and the Sleepy Eye Police Department responded to a 911 call about a car accident and assault south of Sleepy Eye. The Sleepy Eye Fire Department also responded to the scene to extinguish a car fire involving the vehicle involved in the reported accident. Human remains were found in the vehicle. An injured individual at the scene was taken to the Sleepy Eye Medical Center and later transferred to Hennepin County Medical Center where that individual was treated for non-life threatening injuries.
The Brown County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are investigating the incident with assistance from the Sleepy Eye Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol, Sleepy Eye Fire Department, Sleepy Eye Ambulance and the Minnesota Fire Marshal.
The Ramsey County Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy on the deceased individual to determine cause and manner of death. Once family notification has been made that information will be made available. Additional information will be released as the investigation progresses.
With the pending retirement of current police chief John Schueller, the Sleepy Eye City Council has made a decision on his replacement. Current officer Matt Andres will begin duties as interim chief beginning April 1st. Schueller will be hanging up his badge on April 30th after 36 years of service (the past 6 1/2 as chief.)
The city has also hired Sleepy Eye native Shawn Bohnen (son of Missy and Pat “Heavy” Bohnen) to become the new officer, replacing Andres.
