Suspect arraigned in Cass County on two arson counts

I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.

May 26, 1999

By Devlyn Brooks

Richard A. Hassel, 28, of Chanhassen was arraigned Tuesday in Cass County District Court on two counts of arson.

Hassel, arrested Saturday by Cass County Sheriff's deputies for allegedly setting a string of early morning fires that occurred last week in several communities in Cass and Crow Wing counties, will make his next court appearance at 1 p.m. June 1.

He is charged with one count of second-degree arson for allegedly setting fire to a display modular home in Cass County, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail and a $20,000 fine.

And he is charged with one count of third-degree arson for allegedly setting fire to three trash dumpsters in Walker, Pine River and in rural Walker. The maximum sentence is five years in jail and a $10,000 fine.

According to Cass County Chief Deputy Randy Fisher, a cooperative investigation by the two sheriff's departments and the Pine River Police Department led to Hassel's arrest in connection with the fires.

The damage was estimated to be more than $50,000, according to a Cass County Sheriff's Department news release.