Passionate, well-traveled Trump supporter dies in highway crash near St. Peter

A southwestern Minnesota man whose passionate support for President Trump has taken him to dozens of political events around the country was killed in a two-vehicle crash.

Randal J. Thom, of Lakefield, died in a collision shortly before 4:30 p.m. Monday on Hwy. 169 north of St. Peter, the State Patrol said. Thom was driving his minivan south and collided with a pickup truck that also was heading south, the patrol said.

Evidence of recent alcohol use by Thom was detected at the scene, according to the patrol. Thom was not wearing a seat belt, the patrol added.

The other driver, James A. Mollenhauer, 67, of nearby Le Sueur, survived his injuries and was taken to a Mankato hospital.

Thom was the unofficial ringleader of “Front Row Joes,” a group that travels the country to Trump rallies starting back during the 2016 presidential campaign.

He’s been to dozens of Trump gatherings, 23 alone in 2016, earning himself national media attention on CBS News and elsewhere. He would usually show a full half-day early to claim a good spot.

Mary Susan Timion, founder of the Minnesota chapter of Trump Women 2020, started a GoFundMe account online last month to finance Thom’s travels. She has since changed the mission to finance funeral expenses.

“Randall brings flags and his energy to everything he attends,” Timion, of Chanhassen, wrote online. “I am asking that you donate to this fund to support a great ACTIVIST for our President.”

In January 2019, Thom’s political enthusiasm led to his being arrested at a presidential campaign rally for Elizabeth Warren in Storm Lake, Iowa. He got into a scuffle with supporters of the Massachusetts senator. Thom pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

A month later, a dog Thom owned and named after Donald Trump was shot and killed, prompting rumors that the incident was politically motivated. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office concluded the person responsible was legally protecting livestock on private property. Neighbors lodged many complaints about Thom’s dogs running loose, killing animals and attacking a person, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Trump signed Thom’s photo of the dog at one of the rallies. The Alaskan Malamute was born in 2016, the same year Trump was elected, inspiring the name.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482

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