Pine City group home Employee Kidnapped Resident he claimed was his Son – Charges

PINE CITY, Minn. – A group home employee kidnaps a resident, fleeing police at high-speeds, charges allege. 

An employee at a Pine City group home for vulnerable adults is accused of kidnapping a resident Tuesday morning, according to the criminal complaint. Dean Michael Simonson, 58, of Cambridge, is charged with kidnapping, first-degree burglary, and fleeing police in a motor vehicle.

The complaint alleges that Pine County deputies responded to the group home around 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, after receiving a report that Simonson “ran into the home, woke up Resident 1, took Resident 1 to his truck, and took off with Resident 1 at a high rate of speed in the truck.” 

In their attempt to locate the truck, law enforcement learned that Simoson was seen arguing with the victim in the lot of a nearby car dealership. Simonson left with the victim before deputies arrived, but they “located the truck driving nearby at a high rate of speed,” the complaint said. 

Deputies said Simonson did not immediately stop when they used lights and sirens to pull him over. When Simonson did stop, he “got out yelling that he was going home and that he owned the road.” Simonson allegedly refused to comply with deputies’ commands, and “yelled that he was Resident 1’s father.” The criminal complaint states Simonson is not the victim’s father.

The victim, who was said to be “shaking and obviously scared,” told authorities that Simonson woke him up and said “he had to go with him because [Simonson] had something to show him.” Since Simonson is a staff member, the victim “assumed he had permission.” He said Simonson drove the truck to the dealership and attempted “to try to switch cars,” but the business was closed.

According to the victim, he noticed the group home’s house manager repeatedly calling Simonson’s cell phone. When the victim attempted to get Simonson to answer the phone, Simonson reportedly threw it out of the truck window. 

Employees at the group home told deputies that prior to the incident that morning, “someone claiming to be Resident 1’s father called the house ranting and raving about wanting his son.” The complaint said that the caller was later identified as Simonson. One employee said Simonson had been sending them “erratic text messages with conspiracy theories related to other employees.” 

Around the same time as the incident, a welfare check on Simonson had been requested by his relatives, according to the report. Simonson had been “messaging non-sensical communication through the night,” which “included [Simonson] telling a relative to follow instructions or “someone will die.”” The video allegedly showed “a list of group homes and names” in the background.