Judge stops Minnesota hospital from disconnecting ventilator

COON RAPIDS (AP) — A man who has been suffering from a severe case of COVID-19 and was being kept alive by a ventilator has been moved from a Minnesota hospital to a Texas facility after a judge issued a restraining order stopping the hospital from turning off his machine.

Fifty-five-year-old Scott Quiner, of Buffalo, was a patient at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids. He was flown to an unnamed facility in Texas over the weekend, the family’s attorney said.

“Scott is now in a hospital in Texas getting critical care,” said attorney Marjorie Holsten. “The doctor said Scott was the most undernourished patient he has ever seen. The last update I got was yesterday afternoon after some tests had been run; all organs are working except his lungs.”

Allina Health, which operates Mercy Hospital, issued a statement saying it is grateful the family was able to find a health care facility that will meet their needs.

“We continue to wish them all the best,” the statement said.

Scott Quiner’s case drew widespread attention last week after Mercy Hospital said it would disconnect the ventilator on Thursday. Quiner, who was unvaccinated, had been in the hospital’s intensive care unit since Nov. 6 with critically low oxygen levels and had shown little signs of improvement since his arrival, the Star Tribune reported.

Quiner’s wife, Anne, went to court in Anoka County court seeking an emergency restraining order to prevent Mercy from disconnecting the ventilator. Without a judge’s decision, “my husband will die,” Anne wrote in her petition to the court.

Anoka County Judge Jennifer Stanfield ruled in favor of Anne Quiner’s request and had set a hearing to be held online Feb. 11.

Man held on possible charges in fatal fight in Duluth

DULUTH (AP) — Criminal charges are expected against a man involved in a fatal altercation in Duluth.

Officers were dispatched to a medical call shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday where they found an unconscious man on the floor who was later pronounced dead at the scene, according to a police statement. Authorities have not yet identified the 42-year-old victim.

Police learned the victim had been involved in a physical fight with the suspect, who was injured and taken to the hospital for treatment.

The suspect was later transferred to the Public Safety Building where he damaged an interrogation room, officials said.

The man is being held in the St. Louis County Jail on a possible charge of first-degree manslaughter.

Republican Stauber announces bid for reelection to Congress

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Republican congressman and staunch Donald Trump ally who has been representing Minnesota’s Iron Range for the last four years says he’s running for reelection, according to a video released Monday.

Rep. Pete Stauber was first elected in 2018 in the 8th Congressional District, once considered a lock for Democrats. That came after then-President Trump gave Stauber an enthusiastic endorsement at a rally in Duluth.

Stauber was reelected in 2020 with a comfortable victory over Democrat Quinn Nystrom.