Sheriff: Car Starts Grass Fire in St. Augusta

ST. AUGUSTA -- A vehicle started a grass fire early Monday morning in St. Augusta.

The Stearns County Sheriff's Office says they got a call about a grass fire at the intersection of 215th Street and 23rd Avenue at about 1:30. The caller also said a vehicle was on fire.

Several acres of grassland and the vehicle had been burned and the St. Augusta, Rockville, and Clearwater Fire Departments responded.

A deputy found 37-year-old Derek Lapp of St. Paul walking on County Road 7 who admitted to driving the car when the brakes went out and it came to a rest in the ditch. The fire had started when he tried to drive it out of the ditch.

No one was hurt.