Thanksgiving shooting sends pair to hospital
Hoople man in jail on $200,000 bond
COUNTY—Jason Mize, 29, remains in custody at the Walsh County Law Enforcement Center on $200,000 cash or surety bond after a Thanksgiving shooting left two people injured.
According to the Walsh County State’s Attorney’s Office in conjunction with the Walsh County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to the Northern Valley Growers potato warehouse, located just north of the City of Hoople, by one of the victims at about 5 a.m. Thanksgiving morning.
Upon arrival, Walsh County Deputies located a van inside of the warehouse with numerous bullet holes. Also located were two people who had been shot. A 43-year old male from Park River, Thomas Denault was shot four times, twice in the leg, once in the hand and once in the head. The other victim was 18 year old Sierra Hobbs from Crystal.Both victims were transported to First Care Health Center in Park River for medical care. Denault was subsequently transported to Sanford Health in Fargo, where he is listed in satisfactory condition. Hobbs was transported to Altru, where she was treated and later released.
According to Cory Seim, who is the general manager of the Northern Valley Growers potato warehouse, all three of the people involved worked at the potato warehouse.
“The female (Hobbs) just started this season, while the other two have worked here a couple of years,” he said.
Seim said Denault was not living in his van in the potato warehouse.
“This is not a KOA,” he said. “Denault knew the combination to the door, as he was my forklift driver. He opened the door and drove in.”
The potato warehouse wasn’t shot up. Seim assumed the alleged shooter Mize accessed the building through the warehouses.
“It would have been pitch dark, but if you were familiar with the area you could navigate your way through it,” he said. “The female victim opened the door for the police. The only thing that was shot up was the van.”
Immediate investigation into the shooting revealed a suspect, Mize, who resides in Hoople. He was arrested that day at his home without incident. Authorities believe a .22 caliber rifle was the weapon used in the shooting.
Mize has been charged with one count of attempted murder, a Class A felony involving victim Denault and one count of attempted manslaughter, a Class B felony, involving victim Hobbs. Whelan believes Hobbs was hit by accident and that is why the incident was charged out in the manner it was.
“He was trying to shoot Denault,” she said. “His intent was not to shoot Hobbs.”
A Class A felony is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and or $10,000 fine. A Class B felony is punishable by a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and or $10,000 fine.
Mize appeared Friday before Northeast District Judge M. Richard Geiger in Grafton where bond was set with numerous restrictions. Should he be able to post bond he would have an in-home curfew between the hours of 6 p.m. and noon, no contact with the vicitms, no alcohol or controlled substance use and no firearms in his possession.
The Walsh County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in their investigation by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force and the Pembina County Sheriff’s Office. Emergency personnel were from the Hoople Quick Response, the Park River Ambulance Service and the Walsh County Paramedic. All were at the scene early Thursday morning.