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County dealing with high profile rape cases By DAWN SLADE Mille Lacs County Sheriff Brent Lindgren faced television cameras, microphones, and reporters on Friday, Feb. 7 when the county held a press conference regarding the sexual assault case, now cases, that involve the Minnesota Vikings. Lindgren reiterated the circumstances surrounding a 30-year-old woman who was assaulted in Eddyís Motel in Onamia on Sunday, Feb. 2. The victim reported that she was socializing with Todd Bouman of the Vikings, and several unidentified people in the hot tub area of the motel. Lindgren told reporters that Bouman is not a suspect, but is a witness they would like to speak with. The woman said she was supplied with a mixed drink and reported that later she went to a motel room where she felt paralyzed. She reported being raped by an unidentified suspect(s) and that she may have been videotaped as well. The victim had bruises to her knees, wrist and thigh, as well as scratches on her face and forehead. Evidence collected from the victim and the hotel room has been forward to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). Testing on the toxicology evidence collected is expected to be complete by April 7, while testing on the DNA evidence collected is not expected to be complete until June 6. On Tuesday, Feb. 4, Hennepin County Medical Center reported to the sheriffís office that a 22-year-old female also reported being sexually assaulted at Eddyís Motel that same morning. The victim told authorities she had met up with people at the Blue Goose Inn in Garrison and had ridden a shuttle bus to Eddyís. Upon arriving at the motel, the woman reported feeling ill and was brought to a motel room, where she vomited in the bathroom and eventually lay down on a bed. She told authorities she awoke to an unidentified person on top of her in a dark room. She discovered her clothes had been removed from the waist down and that she had been assaulted. She reported a black man, about 6 feet tall, with broad shoulders, driving a green SUV gave her a ride back to Garrison around 3:30 a.m. Sunday. The sheriffís office is looking for the man she described as a witness to verify information. He is not considered a suspect at this time. The DNA from this case has also been forwarded to the BCA, but results are not expected until June 6. The case is going slower than anticipated because of the difficulty in interviewing witnesses with the Vikings organization - they have all retained legal counsel. During the press conference, Lindgren said, "The Arctic Blast has been hosted in the Lake Mille Lacs area over the past several years and has brought current and former Vikings players to the area. Many of these professional football players are considered role models and visit with children in the schools. "It is unfortunate that incidents such as these...impact our community in a negative way." Two investigators have been assigned to the case and the county says they are locating more witnesses in this active, ongoing investigation. The sheriffís office is asking that anyone, including current and former members of the Vikings, who were present at Eddyís and witnessed, can identify or have information regarding these two cases, contact the sheriffís office at 320-983-8250.
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