Roland Riemers
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (KFGO) – A Grand Forks man has been charged with disorderly conduct after blocking a train.
Grand Forks police were dispatched to a railroad crossing on the 5400 block of Demers Ave around 3:30 p.m. Monday being told the individual was shooting off some type of fireworks.
Police said Roland Riemers wanted to make a citizen’s arrest because the train was blocking the street. Employees on the train said Reimers was on the tracks and stopped the train.
Riemers recently appeared before the Grand Forks City Council to complain about trains blocking city streets for extended periods of time in violation of city ordinance.
Riemers says he waved the train down to inform the engineer that he was in violation of city ordinance for blocking the 42nd Street crossing for 24 minutes and that he placed a lit a road flare on the tracks for safety reasons.
Employees on the train said Riemers’ presence on the tracks was the reason the train wasn’t moving.
Riemers says officers on scene wouldn’t accept the citizen’s arrest and the engineer was never cited. He recently appeared before the Grand Forks City Council to complain about trains blocking city streets for extended periods of time.
Riemers says not only did he have to post $326 dollars bond to get out of jail – the railroad had his car towed costing $160 dollars to get it out of the impound lot.
The matter remains under investigation.
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