Confiscated hot rod collection brings in $150K

FARGO (AP) - A former Minot drug trafficker's hot rod collection fetched $150,000 for drug prevention efforts.

About 600 people from five states attended an auction in Moorhead, Minn., to bid on vehicles seized in September 2005 by federal authorities investigating Danny Ray Hoverson, who was later convicted and sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for selling methamphetamine.

Authorities believe the vehicles were purchased with drug money and auctioned off the cars with proceeds split between law enforcement agencies for drug prevention efforts.

Auctioneer Don Mauseth, of Moorhead, whose company ran the auction, said the U.S. Marshals were pleased with the events outcome.

"One of the vehicles they were hoping to sell for $12,000 brought over $20,000," Mauseth said. "It appears that, in visiting with the U.S. Marshals, they got about 50 percent more off this sale than they anticipated."

Pine Ridge plans booze blockade

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - Two women are scheduled to be sentenced today for bootlegging on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation as another road blockade is being planned to stop the influx of alcohol to the dry reservation.

Louise Jumping Eagle, of Pine Ridge, and Juanita Jumping Eagle, of Manderson, pleaded guilty to the charge for selling vodka to a woman.

Each faces up to five years in prison at their sentencing in U.S. District Court in Rapid City.

At the same time, Duane Martin Sr., leader of a traditional Oglala Lakota group, said he's planning another blockade this summer to curb illegal alcohol sales.

Alcohol is barred from the 5,000-square-mile reservation that's home to more than 15,000 Oglala Sioux. The reservation has one of the nation's highest alcoholism-related mortality rates.

Man run over by his pickup, trailer

A 57-year-old man was killed Saturday night on a dirt road near Halliday when his pickup and trailer rolled forward, trapping him underneath the trailer.

Richard Schumacher, of Halliday, was pronounced dead at the scene, the North Dakota Highway Patrol said in a press release. The accident happened at 11:30 p.m., four miles west of Halliday and one mile south on 92nd Avenue SW.

The Highway Patrol report said Schumacher had apparently stopped his 1993 Chevrolet pickup and its attached fifth-wheel trailer. For an unknown reason, he got out of his vehicle and was positioned between the pickup and the trailer when the accident occurred. The pickup was in neutral with no parking brake set. The roadway was on a down slope.

The report said the pickup and trailer rolled forward, trapping Schumacher underneath the trailer. The pickup rolled off the road into the east ditch.

Also responding to the scene were the Dunn County Sheriff's Department and the Halliday Ambulance.

From the air, fire battle continues

ALONG THE GUNFLINT TRAIL, Minn. (AP) - A wildfire in northern Minnesota jumped a defense line designed to keep it away from 20 or so homes on Loon Lake on Sunday, prompting firefighters to take to the air to contain the flames. Helicopters were being used to douse the fire line.

Firefighters have been battling the wildfire since May 5, when it started near a campsite on Ham Lake.