A Tough Year For Dickinson on KMOT-TV North Dakota's NBC News Leader

A Tough Year For Dickinson | Video

Andrew Keller

11/7/2009

The sad news of the three DSU students found dead in Dickinson is the latest in a long list of tragedies Dickinson and its surrounding areas have experienced.

Dickinson Mayor Dennis Johnson says the city has been through difficult times before, particularly in the 1980s when the western North Dakota oil industry went bust. He says residents have never given up, and they`ll bounce back again this time.

You`ve probably heard the statement, "When it rains, it pours." In Dickinson, there`s no doubt over the past year, this relatively quiet community has been flooded with unfortunate situations emotional to all. Here`s a recap.

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 1st, 2009.

"At 4:29 Mountain Standard Time, three bodies were located and identified inside the vehicle. Identified were Afton Williamson, Kyrston Gemar, and Ashley Neufeld," Dickinson Police Lieutenant Rod Banyai said at a press conference November 4th, after the bodies of three Dickinson State University students were found.

Three Dickinson State Students and softball players who friends described as great people and great friends were found dead, drowned inside their vehicle at this stockpile dam in rural Stark County last Tuesday. The girls were young, with their lives ahead of them, out stargazing, when they ended up in water and couldn`t get out.

"Up in that heavenly place where they are, we know they hit it out of the park," said Lenny Gemar, a father of Kyrston Gemar, who tragically died.

AUGUST 17th, 2009.

"I just know she was a great person, she was very loving and kind, always there for her kids, her kids were her number one priority, and her grandkids, and now we don`t have that anymore," said Mandy Schutt, whose mother was murdered.

On August 17th, 43-year old Tracy Osborn was found dead near the Little Missouri River north of Killdeer. Police say she was killed by her estranged husband, put in her car, and driven off a ravine. Her husband, 41-year old Jamie Osborn, then killed himself in Miles City, Montana in this murder-suicide. This case is in court.

JULY 25th, 2009.

"He is currently being housed at the Southwest Multi-County Corrections center on a charge of murder," said Dickinson Police Lieutenant Dave Wallace, speaking of 22-year old Michael Reisenauer.

On July 25th, police say Reisenauer fatally shot 19-year old Kyle Goodbird at this apartment complex. Reisenauer was charged with murder. This case is in court.

JULY 7th, 2009.

"From up in the air, the damage is evident. You can see where houses, the roofs are completely torn off, they`re completely demolished," Andrew Keller reported.

On July 7th, a tornado ripped through the city limits of Dickinson, destroying a large portion of houses on the South Side of town. Some families lost everything. Luckily, no fatalities by this act of Mother Nature.

"I`m just thankful my whole family is alive and well, that`s all that matters," said Tammy Galipeau, who lost her house to the tornado.

JUNE 6th, 2009.

"A male and a female came out, giving up peacefully, at which time a male and a female came out the side door, firing at officers," said Sheriff Clarence Tuhy of the Stark County Sheriff`s Department.

A month before the tornado, on June 6th, four of America`s Most Wanted were captured in Gladstone, just east of Dickinson. Two of the individuals were jail escapees with the two that had helped them escape. After robbing a Dickinson movie store, they led police on a chase to this Gladstone farmstead, where they were in a stand-off with police for hours.

APRIL 10th, 2009.

"Authorities found the body in this field behind me early this afternoon by helicopter," Andrew Keller reported.

The slain body of 49-year old Neil Matejovsky was found in Dunn County on April 10th. Authorities say Matejovsky was shot in the chest. This incident is in court.

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"Hopefully, like a lot of others areas or what we`ve had this last year, hopefully it just brings the community closer together," said Clarence Tuhy at the same press conference last Wednesday.

And it has. It`s a test of a community`s will to stay strong, and a testament to a community`s promise to do so.

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