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31 Jul 2024

St. Paul woman charged in hit-and-run that injured two pedestrians

by admin | posted in: Society | 0

After a hit-and-run crash injured two pedestrians in St. Paul, police found car parts left behind and received an anonymous tip leading them to a suspect, according to a criminal complaint.

The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office charged Pa Chia Vang, 44, in July with two counts of criminal vehicular operation causing bodily harm and leaving the scene in the May collision.

Pa Chia Vang (Courtesy of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)

Officers were called to the intersection of Idaho and White Bear avenues shortly before midnight on May 4. They found a woman lying on the ground near the parking lot of Exquisite Cake Bakery. She had a puddle of blood behind her head and St. Paul fire medics took her to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with fractured pelvic bones and spinal fractures.

She told police she only remembered walking with her sister-in-law, and said they looked both ways before crossing Idaho Avenue. The next thing she remembered was being in the hospital.

Another injured pedestrian was nearby and medics brought her to the hospital in critical condition. Her injuries included a skull fracture, a traumatic brain injury, fractured ribs and spinal injuries.

She later told police that she and the other injured woman had been at the White Dragon Bar on White Bear Avenue and were crossing the street on their way back to the car.

Officers spoke to a witness who reported a black sport-utility vehicle sped west on Idaho Avenue when the two women were crossing the street. The SUV struck both women and continued driving north on White Bear Avenue.

Surveillance video from the area showed the driver of the SUV appeared to brake upon impact and then the vehicle swerved before continuing on.

Officers also found two car parts that appeared to be left behind from the black SUV. They were identified as coming from a BMW X5 that was made between 2000 and 2006.

Police asked for tips in the case on June 5.

Officers received an anonymous tip, reporting that a woman who lived on Bradley Street near Arlington Avenue drove a black BMW SUV that may have been involved. On June 6, officers found a 2005 BMW X5 — with damage to its front end — parked on Bradley Street in front of Pa Chia Vang’s home.

Vang’s husband is the vehicle’s registered owner and Pa Chia Vang had her identification scanned at the White Dragon, the complaint said.

Surveillance video showed a person who appeared to be Vang went in the White Dragon at 9:26 p.m. on May 5 and left at 11:52 p.m. She “stumbled” as she left and someone helped her continue walking, according to the complaint.

Vang’s attorney couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.

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31 Jul 2024

Owner of fire-ravaged Lutsen Lodge loses operating control of troubled Two Harbors resort

by admin | posted in: News | 0

TWO HARBORS, Minn. — The owner of Superior Shores Resort has temporarily lost control of the troubled resort’s operations following a Lake County judge’s ruling last week.

The Two Harbors resort is owned by Bryce Campbell, who also owns the Lutsen Lodge. The historic lodge of the state’s oldest operating resort was destroyed by fire on Feb. 6. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, and multiple lawsuits have since surfaced about that property.

The sellers of the Superior Shores Resort — Blue Waters Development Corp., Jensen-Re Development and Jensen-Re Partnership — filed a receivership case against Shores Resort Co. with the Lake County District Court on July 25.

An emergency motion was granted to appoint Bruce Kinseth of Kinseth Hospitality Cos. to temporarily take over the operations of Superior Shores Resort.

The sellers claimed in the court document that Campbell’s company has defaulted on its contracts for deeds on several occasions, triggering the appointment of a receiver.

On Oct. 29, 2019, Shores Resort Co. bought Superior Shores through three contracts for deed, totaling $14.5 million — a record-setting price for resorts in the state at the time, according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

The purchase included a Lake Superior lodge building with 103 rentable units, a restaurant, an indoor and an outdoor pool; the Burlington Bay property with 75 units; and a property with lakehome condo units.

Under each contract for deed, Shores Resort Co. was to pay monthly payments of $71,100. Balloon payments — a large, one-time payment at the end of a loan — for each were due on June 1.

The contracts for deed required Shores Resort Co. to be responsible for all real estate taxes, assessments, property insurance, liability insurance and maintenance of assets.

According to the court document, the sellers claim Shores Resort Co. defaulted on 10 occasions, including failure to:

•Make balloon payments totaling $12.9 million.

•Pay all real estate taxes assessed against the property.

•Deliver certificates of insurance.

•Pay assessments imposed by Superior Shores II Condominium Association and Burlington Bay at Superior Shores Association.

•Maintain and keep the properties in good repair, working order and condition.

•Provide timely unaudited financial statements.

In the event of a default on behalf of Shores Resort Co., the contract for deeds stated the sellers may seek the appointment of a receiver. The sellers are undergoing cancellation proceedings to terminate the contracts for deeds.

The court document claims payments to various local vendors have not been made and that Shores Resort Co. has also been given notice of disconnection of city utilities.

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