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Ramsey County Attorney

Thursday, January 31, 2013

School Bus Driver from Fridley Texted on the Job, Charges Allege

Ramsey County prosecutors say the Fridley resident was preoccupied with her cell phone while transporting St. Paul students, the Star Tribune reported.

A Fridley woman who works as a school bus driver is facing charges in Ramsey County for texting while operating a bus with students aboard, the Star Tribune reported Thursday. The newspaper gave this summary of the criminal complaint: On Nov. 4 [of 2011, defendant Jatira D.] Sanders allegedly took out her cellphone and began texting as soon as she stopped the bus and opened the door to let students off. A photograph taken by a student showed that the bus' stop arm was deployed and amber warning lights were on. The student who took the photo told a State Patrol investigator that Sanders did not watch students disembark. On Nov. 7, [2011,] Sanders allegedly texted while stopped at a red light. A student told the investigator that Sanders was…

Friday, September 7, 2012

'She Simply Has Everyone Flummoxed': Ex-Ramsey Co. Attorney on 'Jane Doe'

On MPR, Susan Gaertner praised Anoka County's 'measured approach' to Tammy Thomas' refusal to cooperate since her arrest in a vacant Fridley house.

Anoka County officials are striking the right balance with "Jane Doe," the woman who has refused to cooperate with jailers and judges since Fridley police arrested her July 9 for setting up housekeeping in a vacant Fridley house. That's according to former Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner, in an interview on Minnesota Public Radio late Friday afternoon about the case of the woman now known as Tammy Thomas. The court is doing "a really good job taking a measured approach" that respects the defendant's Constitutional rights, Gaertner told MPR. But with a judge again ordering a psychological examination after Thomas refused to cooperate, "The problem is: Now what?'" Gaertner said. Here is a transcript of the MPR interview with former …

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