Cass County extends emergency declaration after weekend tornadoes; sheriff outlines response and names three deceased

The Cass County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to extend the county's emergency declaration issued June 21, 2025, after tornadoes that struck the county's northern corridor damaged homes and infrastructure in Page, Hunter and Erie. Sheriff Johnner briefed the commissioners on response actions, mutual-aid partners and volunteer operations, and identified three residents who died in the storms.

Sheriff Johnner told commissioners the sheriff's office anticipated severe weather the evening of June 20 and staged patrol units in western Cass County to shorten response times. He said his patrol sergeant reported overturned trucks on the interstate and that responders were dispatched to residences reporting roof loss. "On Friday evening ... it was getting very bad out there," Johnner said, and the office activated additional resources and began responding to reports of structural damage.

Johnner described visiting damaged farmsteads and residences and said the sheriff's office encountered three fatalities at separate locations, naming Michael Dane, Catherine Dane and Marcario Lucio. He said the deaths affected department personnel: Matthew Dane is a family member of department staff, and Gabby Dane is a patrol deputy who is married to Matthew Dane. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the lost victims in this situation," Johnner said.

The sheriff described the mutual-aid and local response. He said the North Dakota Highway Patrol, Enderlin Fire, Lisbon Ambulance, Alice Fire, Castleton Ambulance and West Fargo Police Department sent personnel, and Clay County offered assistance. The county set up command and staging locations at the Page Fire Hall and the Hunter ambulance building to coordinate volunteer efforts and resource distribution. Johnner said volunteers and the American Red Cross provided food, water and other supplies where power and water outages affected residents and businesses.

Johnner said response teams moved to 12-hour shifts to increase staffing and had a dedicated patrol presence traveling the north corridor between Page, Erie and Hunter to provide visible assistance, answer requests and deter opportunistic theft. He also said some roads and streets were impassable during immediate response and that debris-removal, power restoration and cleanup were ongoing.

Commissioners praised the coordinated response and volunteers. Commissioner Capitan moved to extend the Cass County emergency declaration of June 21, 2025 "to an indefinite period of time until such time that we feel the disaster period is over." The motion was seconded and passed on a roll-call vote of five to zero.

The sheriff told commissioners the county would continue daily coordination meetings, work with state emergency management, conduct an internal debrief to identify lessons learned, and maintain staging areas while cleanup and restoration continue. He asked the commission to note the emotional impact on staff and first responders and the continued need for volunteers and logistical support as recovery proceeds.