Ryan Nelson

NIC MIU
ANDREW DITTMAN INTERVIEW WITH Ryan Nelson

DITTMAN: My name is Andrew this is Dusty. We’re investigators with the St. Croix County Sheriff’s department. Obviously your son was with a group of boys today tubing on the Apple River, so we just want to ask some questions, see what kind of transpired today and go from there. So first of, I’ll just get your names, I’m assuming you must be mom and dad. Mom go ahead with your first name
Tamra: Tamra t-a-m-r-a
Dittman: t-a-m-r-a
Tamra: r-a yep
Dittman: full middle name
Tamra: full Lois l-o-i-s
Dittman: and last name
Tamra: Nicholas n-i-c-h-o-l-a-s hyphen Nelson
Dittman: and your what’s your date of birth
Tamra: 2/19/78
Dittman: and a good phone number for your preferably a cell
Tamra: yep 651
Dittman: yep
Tamra: 247-8948
Dittman: um what’s your current address
Tamra: 296 County Road, Stillwater
Dittman: what’s the zip code for Stillwater
Tamra: 55082
Dittman: dad?
Timothy: timothy, john
Dittman: j-o-h-n
Timothy: yep. Nelson
Dittman: n-e-l-s-o-n. um date of birth?
Timothy:10/5//73
Dittman: and same address?
Timothy: no
Dittman: different
Timothy: yeah
Dittman: what’s your current address
Timothy: 1150 Legend Blvd, Stillwater
Dittman: 55082 uh what’s a good phone number for you
Timothy: [PHONE NUMBER REDACTED]
Dittman: 1450
Timothy: yep
Dittman: your name?
Ryan: Ryan Steven
Dittman: r-y-a-n
Ryan: yep
Dittman: steven s-t
Ryan: e-v-e-n
Dittman: last name
Ryan: Nelson. May 4th, 2005
Dittman: 5/4/2005 uh good phone number for you
Ryan: [PHONE NUMBER REDACTED]
Dittman: 5150 where are you currently-are you
Tamra: splits
Dittman: splits, ok. Do you mind if we ask him just some questions about what transpired today
Timothy: absolutely
Tamra: yep absolutely
Dittman: so Ryan it’s my understanding that you guys go to high school or went to high school together in Stillwater, yeah?
Ryan: we still do, yeah
Dittman: what grade are you guys
Ryan: we’re going to be seniors
Dittman: seniors. Alright so we’re going to go way, way, way back here this morning so you guys how did you guys end up deciding to go to Apple River today
Ryan: I think we planned it out last night
Dittman: ok
Ryan: and then we just made a group chat and decided that we were going to go
Dittman: and the group that all went today was all the ones in the group chat
Ryan: yeah I think maybe like one in the group chat that didn’t go but
Dittman: ok alright so take me, like what was the plan what did you guys plan out, where were you guys going to meet?
Ryan: uh we met at the high school and then we all drove in one car
Dittman: ok who’s vehicle did you guys ride in
Ryan: Alex Vang
Dittman: ok do you remember around about what time that was that you guys met at the high school
Ryan: um about 1130 or 1140
Dittman: ok you guys meet at the high school what do you do from there
Ryan: not much just put all our stuff in Alex’s car
Dittman: alright where did you guys go to
Ryan: the river
Dittman: did you stop anywhere else on the way or just straight there
Ryan: no just straight there
Dittman: do you remember what cause there’s a lot of places I guess along the river do you remember the place that you went to
Ryan: uh no
Dittman: was that ever discussed at all
Ryan: no
Dittman: do you remember any names like River’s Edge or hideaway
Ryan: the tubes were river’s edge
Dittman: river’s edge
Ryan: I don’t remember if that’s like exactly where we went but that’s what it said on the tubes
Dittman: alight. Was I should ask you River’s edge is right off the highway could you see the highway from where you guys were at
Ryan: uh yeah
Dittman: like the 4 lane highway
Ryan: I think so but I don’t know for sure
Dittman: ok, that’s ok.
Ryan: [inaudible]
Dittman: nope that’s alright but you guys had river’s edge tubes
Ryan: yeah
Dittman: alright so you guys get to the river, what do you do
Ryan: uh we just tie our tubes together and then we went down
Dittman: do you guys remember where you put in at where you put your tubes in at
Ryan: right next to the where we got them
Dittman: so do you recall what time you started going down the river
Ryan: I want to say maybe around 12:30 maybe
Dittman:1230
Ryan: that’d be my best guess
Dittman: alright. Who was all with you
Ryan: um everyone you want me to just give you names
Dittman: just first names is fine
Ryan: Landon, Jawahn, Owen, Alex, Isaac
Dittman: ok so you guys start tubing down the river um how long were you guys I guess what the plan for today, just tube the Apple and
Ryan: yeah we were going to go back to Owen’s house but I don’t think that’s happening anymore
Dittman: yeah were you guys going to camp there at all
Ryan: no
Dittman: weren’t going to stay just tube for the day and come back
Ryan: take the bus
Dittman: ok, so I might ask you just a couple uncomfortable questions and I realize your parents are here, did you guys have any alcohol today on the river
Ryan: yeah
Dittman: ok what’d you guys have
Ryan: um there were some beers and some seltzers
Dittman: ok do you remember what kind of beers you guys were drinking
Ryan: I don’t know
Dittman: did you guys have any like hard alcohol at all that you recall
Ryan: no
Dittman: alright um just to get an idea, how much would you say did you drink any alcohol today
Ryan: yeah I did
Dittman: and how much would you say you had today
Ryan: like 3 or 4
Dittman: 3 or 4
Ryan: beers
Dittman: beers ok was Isaac drinking at all today
Ryan: um yeah
Dittman: how much would you say he had to drink today
Ryan: I would say around the same
Dittman: ok what was Isaac demeanor today like did he seem like he was in a pretty good mood today, excited
Ryan: yeah he was in a great mood
Dittman: nothing seemed off with him at all?
Ryan: no
Dittman: alright so you guys are floating down the river. Just kind of go through what happens, I guess lets start here. You guys are floating down the river, how long were you guys on the river, how long do you recall being on the river before this incident happened
Ryan: well I think the incident happened between 3 and 4 so that would be like 2 and a half hours
Dittman: ok um can you just give me a lowdown on how this all kind of started
Ryan: yeah so this weird guy, he was wearing a snorkel at first, he came up to us and he was kind of talking to us and we were a little weirded out
Timothy: not in a tube right?
Ryan: no not in a tube. Standing and then he kind of left and then he came back and he didn’t say anything and he was just standing over us right behind us just looking over us
Dittman: was he in the water or on the bank
Ryan: in the water
Dittman: and were you guys standing or sitting in tubes
Ryan: we were in our tubes, we were in our tubes
Dittman: were you guys stationary
Ryan: yeah we were
Dittman: ok
Ryan: and he was just standing there looking at us and we were all weirded out so then we got out of our tubes and Jawahn started recording and we were like what are you doing, why are you here, why are you so close to us, you need to back up. Then he kept getting closer and then another group of tubers came over and they were like you need to get away from these kids like you need to back up, you’re a pedophile you can’t be this, you can’t be touching these kids you need to back up. And then he punched the girl in the face who was all up in his face and then her friends started pushing him to the ground and hitting him.
Dittman: do you know the female, the girl that got punched in the face
Ryan: no I don’t it was a different group of tubers
Dittman: do did you know anyone minus your friends that went today
Ryan: no I don’t
Dittman: did you recognize anyone else that was there
Ryan: no
Dittman: what was this guy saying to you guys like your initial contact with him
Ryan: um he wasn’t saying much and he was just standing there looking at us and at one point he was like you want some of this and then he went like that
Dittman: ok
Ryan: and we were all like woah what the-why are you here, you need to leave, we’re all uncomfortable
Dittman: did you guys ever say anything to him at all like get the eff away or get away from us
Ryan: yeah
Dittman: just be blunt I want to hear exactly if you remember
Ryan: no yeah we were all calling him a pedophile like you need to get away, this is weird, like leave us alone, get out of here
Dittman: ok
Ryan: and then those people came over and they were all calling him a pedophile, it must have set him off or something
Dittman: so give me your best physical description of the guy
Ryan: he was middle-aged man, 40’s-50’s, he’s hairy in the chest, bigger guy
Dusty: what color was his hair
Ryan: um I don’t-darker
Dittman: do you recall what he was wearing
Ryan: just swim trunks
Dittman: do you remember what color
Ryan: no I don’t
Dittman: you don’t recall what color and I remember you saying something about he had a snorkel
Ryan: he did the first time, the second time he came up to us he did not
Dittman: alright did he ever say anything to you like what he was doing
Ryan: no
Dittman: do you recall if you overhead anything
Ryan: no I think he was by himself
Dittman: ok. You see any tattoos or noticeable scars or marks or anything on his
Ryan: no I don’t think he had any tattoos
Dittman: so just wearing a set of swim trunks, no shirt
Ryan: no shirt
Dittman: hairy chest, belly
Ryan: hairy chest, belly, yeah, yeah
Dittman: bigger uh how tall do you think he was
Ryan: I don’t know
Dittman: I’m about 6’2” on a good day I guess. So taller than me, shorter?
Ryan: I would say probably shorter
Dittman: shorter, ok. Did he have any facial hair
Ryan: yeah a beard
Dittman: what color was his beard
Ryan: I think just the same as his hair
Dittman: ok so just a darker
Ryan: yeah
Dittman: darker beard. Alright. Alright so, he initially comes up and he’s kinda talking to you guys just kinda being weird-I guess you said he’s kind of acting weird what would you-I guess how would you describe weird
Ryan: just standing right on our backs
Timothy: not saying anything?
Ryan: not saying anything just looking at us
Dittman: ok
Ryan: and we were all looking at him like what are you doing, you need to back up
Dusty: like as you’re floating down the river
Ryan: no we were stationary
Dusty: ok
Dittman: so how close was he to you guys
Ryan: he was right on us
Dittman: like within arm’s reach?
Ryan: yeah
Dusty: like this
Ryan: yeah pretty much like that close
Dittman: ok
Timothy: on the edge of your circle?
Ryan: yeah
Dittman: ok um do you recall who he was uh standing over the top of, which one of your friends?
Ryan: um I think Alex
Dittman: ok
Ryan: I think
Dittman: alright so after he kind of leaves and then you see him again, does he come up to you guys does he come up to you guys or how does this
Ryan: well no that’s when he was just standing over our tube when he came back the second time
Dittman: ok so the first time, he was just kinda
Ryan: kinda there
Dittman: kinda there and about how far away from you guys was he the first time you saw him
Ryan: I’d say about our distance
Dittman: and he was just kinda just acting
Ryan: acting weird, looking at us and we were like looking at him
Dittman: did he seem like he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs or both or
Ryan: I don’t know
Dittman: just did something did he not seem right or his behavior
Ryan: I think he was just a weird person
Timothy: did he have a smirk on his face or was he mad or was he think he was funny or
Ryan: no I don’t know I think he was just a weird person in general
Dittman: ok alright fast forward again now here, so you guys are kinda telling him to get away, this female comes over and sounds like she kind of comes to your guys’ defense a says
Ryan: yeah she got all up in his face
Dittman: ok then what happens
Ryan: then he hit her in the face and then I think her friends came over started pushing him to the ground, started hitting him and then I didn’t even see him with a knife I just saw this guy is like oh my god and I look over and the guy is holding his whole gut [inaudible] intestines and I was like -and then I couldn’t really look away cause I’m looking at this guy’s whole stomach that’s out of his body
Dittman: ok
Ryan: and that was just-
Dittman: what happened to the initial female when she got punched in the face, did she fall down
Ryan: yeah
Dittman: did she stand up. Ok
Timothy: was she in a tube
Ryan: no cause they all walked over there, they were standing
Dittman: ok how far away were they that female and that other group from you guys and him
Ryan: the other shore bank
Dittman: so they had to come a little ways over to him
Ryan: yeah
Dittman: ok so was he arguing with them at all or was he
Ryan: a little bit he was mostly silent but I think maybe there was a few words exchanged
Dittman: so he punches closed fist, open fist, do you recall
Ryan: closed I think
Dittman: so she gets hit, she goes down, then kinda it sounds like a hog pile kind of ensues people are jumping on people or how does that work
Ryan: yeah I think they pushed him to the ground and he kinda fell over on the ground he got punched once or twice and got back up and then I don’t really know what happened from there it all happened so fast, I just look over and I saw guy’s whole stomach out
Dittman: do you recall ever seeing a knife
Ryan: no I don’t think so
Dittman: ok. So after you see the guy holding on to you believe his guts what happens from there
Ryan: well I was just looking there and I don’t I was just like what am I even looking at right now. I didn’t know what I was looking at and a couple minutes go by and I saw Isaac was bleeding from over here and he was getting medical attention over on the shore from my friends and other people and I went and I was standing in our tubes making sure we didn’t lose our tubes and
Timothy: did the guy come back to you guys?
Ryan: no I didn’t see him after
Timothy: [inaudible overlap] after the girl got punched you think? Possible?
Ryan: no, not before I think
Dittman: you don’t recall seeing if he ran or if he fled
Ryan: no once I, I didn’t see him after I saw the guy that was injured
Dittman: ok
Ryan: once I got up from that I didn’t see anything
Dittman: ok um you say there were people tending to Isaac on the shore, then kind of take me through what do you do after you see this going on
Ryan: I was making calls to people and I was holding on to our tubes, making sure we didn’t lose our tubes
Dittman: ok
Ryan: and then I was just calling people, making sure
Dittman: alright
Ryan: police got there
Dittman: and then I guess how long do you think you guys waited until law enforcement
Ryan: i would say 15 minutes
Dittman: 15 mintues ok um what happens after I guess law enforcement shows up on the scene I guess did you talk to anybody initially or
Ryan: yeah I talked to one guy on the shore
Timothy: this guy (shows business card)
Dittman: oh perfect. Alright, ok.
Ryan: but then the police officers were there before the ambulance
Dittman: ok
Ryan: and then they were still doing cpr on both people for a while and then eventually the ambulance was there and they brought stretchers, and they needed floaties so I brought floaties over and there was other people that brought theirs so that’s when I-when we lost our floateis along with. They loaded both people on the stretcher and wheeled them down to the shore and brought him up and they were doing, they still did cpr on Isaac for about-
Dittman: did Isaac ever say anything to this guy to like
Ryan: no I don’t- not any more than the rest of us would have said
Dittman: ok um never like did ever physically approach him at all or
Ryan: not that I saw I think maybe he was just too close and in the wrong place at the wrong time
Dittman: right ok.
Timothy: were you guys close to the scuffle with the other group
Ryan: yeah it was all well the guy was right here and they
Tamra: well they came over to help
Ryan: and the guy started yelling at her right in front of our faces
Dittman: is there anything else that you can recall that you think would be helpful to this investigation
Ryan: no I think we went through the whole story
Dittman: ok well I certainly appreciate your time I know its not something that’s easy to sit and talk about and go over but I certainly appreciate mom and dad coming as well I’m going to give
Tamra: one of the boys has a video
Dittman: yeah, yep and its my understanding that one of us has the video
Tamra: yeah has the phone and video
Dittman: yeah perfect, if you can think of anything else that would be helpful I mean as today goes on, tomorrow, or the next day, you might recall things that you wouldn’t have remembered today
Ryan: yeah
Dittman: so if something comes up feel free to reach out to us. Um who would be the best person to give
Tamra: we’ll have him carry both cards
Dittman yeah perfect. Yeah if anything at all comes up or you recall anything that you think would be helpful to investigation just reach out to us. So sorry you guys had to go through something like this, its not an every day thing obviously that happens up there at Apple River. Dusty and I have worked out in St. Croix for a long time, we kind of know there’s some shenanigans that happen on the river, a lot of drinking and stuff like that that goes on so that’s why I just asked you about the alcohol stuff. You’re not going to be issued any citations or anything like that for underage drinking that’s the least of worries, we’re just trying to figure out what happened and transpired today okay and what happened to your friend. That’s all I got for you. I’ll obviously want to talk to the rest of the group here so if you want to just send somebody else over it doesn’t matter, no specific order, we’ll chat them. So thank you
Nelson family: thank you