PRESS RELEASES

Press Releases September 2012

 

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Date:                          September 26, 2012
Subject:                     FATAL VEHICLE VS.  MOTORCYLE CRASH
Authority:                  LT. BRUCE THEUSCH

On 09-26-12 at 7:07 am the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was notified as a car vs. motorcycle accident on STH 167 at the entrance of Richfield Truck Stop located at 2800 STH 167 in the Village of Richfield.

Upon arrival Sheriff’s Deputy found an unresponsive motorcyclist in the roadway, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) had already been started by bystanders.  The motorcyclist, a 21 year old City of Milwaukee man, was transported by Richfield Fire Department to Community Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

The initial investigation revealed that the motorcyclist was behind a large truck and trailer westbound on STH 167.  The large truck and trailer had exited USH 41south and was traveling in the turn lane to enter the Richfield Truck Stop.  As the truck and trailer turned into the Richfield Truck Stop the motorcyclist continued westbound. As the motorcycle continued it struck a vehicle that was exiting the Richfield Truck Stop.  That vehicle was driven by a 29 year old Town of Addison man.   The Town of Addison man was intending on traveling eastbound on STH 167 and crossed into the path of the motorcycle prior to the collision.  The Town of Addison man was not injured.

The Washington County Accident Reconstruction Team is investigating the accident, however Failure to Yield Right on behalf of the operator of the car is a contributing factor.

STH 167 was closed for approximately 4 hours while the crash was investigated.  The Wisconsin State Patrol and Germantown Police Department assisted with traffic control.

Names are being held pending notification of family.

 

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Date:              September 21, 2012
Case:              2012-30979 – Residential Chimney Fire                              
Authority:      Sgt. Chad Beres

On the above date at 9:39pm the Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a 911 call from the homeowner at 4800 Susan Lee Ct. in the town of Barton reporting a chimney fire at the residence.  Sheriff’s Deputies along with Kohlsville Fire Department were dispatched to the scene.  Kohlsville Fire Department requested assistance from the Allenton Fire Department who also responded.

The homeowner was attempting to extinguish the flames using a garden hose when the fire units and first Deputy arrived on scene.  Fire personnel were able to extinguish the flames, but there was still smoke coming from the chimney area and the chimney surround.  They checked the roof for hotspots and dismantled the chimney surround.  They also checked the attic locating insulation which had caught on fire. 

The homeowners had a fire in the fireplace this evening beginning at approximately 6pm.  About an hour after the fire was started some crackling noises were heard and these same noises were heard again when the homeowners went to bed.  One of the homeowners went outside and observed the flames coming from the chimney.  He returned to the house, got his wife and two children out of the house and called 911.  This was the homeowner’s first fire of the season and the chimney had been cleaned in the spring of this year.

The damage was contained to the chimney area of the roof and the attic.  The damage estimate is between $20,000 and $30,000.  There were no injuries to anyone on the scene.

Homeowners – Robert & Michelle Wiedmeyer

 

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Date:                          September 17, 2012
Case:                          Community Notification
Authority:                  Sgt. Jason Guslick

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is releasing the following information pursuant to WI Statute 301.46(2m) which authorizes law enforcement agencies to inform the public of a sex offender’s release when, in the discretion of the agency, the release of information will enhance public safety, awareness and protection. The individual who appears on this notification has been convicted of a sex offense. Further, his criminal history places him in a classification level which reflects the potential to re-offend.

David M. Bryan 38, will be released from prison on September 18, 2012.  After his release he will reside at the Washington County Jail while he attempts to locate a residence and employment.  Bryan was convicted of 940.225(3), 3rd Degree Sexual Assault – 2 counts, on 4/16/99 and Child Abuse – Intentionally Cause Harm – 1 count, on 5/25/05.  Bryan will be on Extended Supervision (probation) until September 20, 2016 and will be monitored closely by WI-DOC Division of Community Corrections agents. While residing in the Washington County Jail he will be chaperoned at all times when leaving the jail to seek a residence and employment.  Bryan will have numerous rules and restrictions to follow including wearing a live tracking GPS unit.

This sex offender has served the prison sentence imposed on him by the courts. He is NOT wanted by law enforcement at this time. This notification is not intended to increase fear, but rather it is our belief that an informed public is a safer public.

Sex offenders have always lived in our communities; but it was not until the Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Law was enacted that law enforcement was able to share this information with the community.  More information can be located at: http://offender.doc.state.wi.us/public/proginfo/communitynotification.jsp

Questions:  Probation/Parole Agent Amy Stephens at 262-335-5679, Sex Offender Registration Specialist Erich Wuerslin at 414-773-4643 or Sgt. Jason Guslick at 262-335-4879.

David Bryan

 

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Date:                September 17, 2012
Case:               2012-30088
Authority:        Sgt. Ryan Herman

On Thursday, September 13, 2012, at 11:31 PM the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Hartford Fire Department responded to 6451 Celtic Crossing in the Town of Erin for a residential fire. The homeowner noticed heavy smoke inside the residence and observed flames in the attic area, prompting a ‘911’ call to the sheriff’s office. The homeowner evacuated safely to a neighbor’s residence along with his wife and child. The Hartford Fire Department with assistance from Slinger and St. Lawrence Fire Department’s quickly extinguished the fire.

The homeowner advised he had been burning wood in the fireplace for a few hours this afternoon and evening. When the last piece of wood was smoldering he began to notice heavy smoke inside the residence and upon further inspection observed flames in the attic area near the chimney of his fireplace. The fireplace had not been used since spring and the chimney hadn’t been swept for approximately 18 months.

The point of origin for this fire was near a seam in the stainless steel chimney flue. The flue seam was located above the inserted fireplace, in the ceiling of the attic. After flames escaped the flue, it spread to the ceiling rafters of the residence. There was extensive damage to the roof and other immediate areas near the fireplace, resulting in an estimate in excess of $75,000 dollars.

There were no injuries as a result of the incident and occupants of the residence had other family in the area to assist with immediate living arrangements.

HOMEOWNER
George and Holly Boggs
Hartford WI

 

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Date:               September 15, 2012
Case:              2012-30147 HWY 83 Crash Update
Authority:      Sgt. Tim Kemps

A 21 year old Oconomowoc woman was killed in a car accident that occurred on STH 83 at CTH E in the Town of Hartford on September 14th.  The deceased has been identified as Courtney S Laack.  The accident remains under investigation by the Washington County Sheriff's Office.  The preliminary investigation shows that a passenger car was being followed by a cement truck southbound on STH 83.  The passenger car signaled to turn eastbound onto CTH E.  The cement truck began to pass when the car attempted to turn westbound onto Waterford Road and turned in front of the cement truck.  The truck struck the vehicle which almost immediately started on fire.  Passing motorists assisted in getting the male driver out of the vehicle and attempted to put the fire out with fire extinguishers, but the female remained trapped in the vehicle. The cement truck driver was treated at the scene and released.  The driver of the passenger car was transported to Aurora Medical Center in Hartford with non-life threatening injuries.  The vehicle passenger was pronounced dead at the scene by the Washington County Medical Examiner.  STH 83 was closed for six and half hours as a result of the accident investigation and cleanup. 

Driver of Cement Truck
Michael Weiss 8-7-58

 Driver of Passenger Car
Jeffrey E Lorey 8-21-89

Deceased Passenger
Courtney S Laack 9-9-91

 

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Date:               September 14, 2012
Case:               2012-30147 Hwy 83 Crash - Initial
Authority:       Sgt. Jason Guslick

On 9/14/12 at 12:53pm, Washington County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to the intersection of STH 83 and CTH E/Waterford Rd for a report of a crash involving a cement truck and a car.  The caller also advised the vehicles involved in the crash were on fire.  Upon Deputies arrival it was determined both vehicles were southbound on STH 83. 

The lone occupant of the cement truck was a male driver.  The car was occupied by two subjects, a male driver and a female passenger, a passerby removed the male operator from the car and the female passenger was a fatality.  The Hartford Fire Department responded to the scene and was assisted by the Slinger Fire Department.  The operators of both vehicles were transported to the Aurora Medical Center in Hartford with non-life threatening injuries. 

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office Accident Reconstruction Team is currently on scene investigating the cause of the crash.  While the on-scene crash investigation took place STH 83 was closed between Lee Rd and Druid Lake Road, CTH E and closed to westbound traffic at Hall Road and Waterford Rd was closed to east bound traffic at Elmwood Rd.    Driver information for both vehicles and the deceased passenger information will be released at a later time.

 

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Date:                September 14, 2012
Case:               12-29933         
Authority:        Lt Konstanz

The Washington County Medical Examiner’s Office has positively identified the subject found in Lake Lenwood on September 11, 2012 as Robert J Genz age 45 of Hartford.  The cause of death is still pending; however it appears that the subject drown.  The Washington County Sheriff’s Office will continue to investigate this death; however nothing appears suspicious at this time.

 

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Date:              September 12, 2012
Case:             12-29933 Body Recovered - Lake Lenwood
Authority:      Sgt. Tim Kemps

On 9/12/12 at 11:51am the Washington County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from Lake Lenwood Campground at 7053 Wallace Lake Rd in the Town of Barton in reference to a body that was found in the lake.

Several campers observed a suspicious object in the water approximately 20 feet off shore in about 5 feet of water.  Upon closer inspection they realized that it was a human body. 

Washington County Sheriff’s Deputies along with West Bend Fire and Rescue were dispatched to the scene.  Upon arrival it was verified that the individual was deceased and had been in the water for some period of time.  The Washington County Dive Team responded to the scene to assist in the recovery and investigation.

The body has not been identified at this point and appears to be a male in his 30’s or 40’s.  This incident remains under investigation by investigators with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Medical Examiner’s Office.

 

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Date:              September 9, 2012
Case:             12-29595 Child Injury
Authority:      Lt. John Buck

A one and one half year old Town of West Bend boy suffered a head injury when he fell onto a concrete patio from a screened deck on the floor above. The child and his 3 year old brother were playing on the deck when the boy fell through the screen. The parents had previously placed a free standing child fence around the deck next to the screened frames and were using the deck as a play area for the children. The younger child had crawled between the fence and the screen and leaned against the screen. The screen pulled away from the mounting channel on the bottom and one side of the opening, allowing the child to fall approximately 10 feet to the patio. The boy was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital, West Bend, with a head injury by West Bend Fire Department Ambulance. The boy was then taken to Children’s Hospital by Flight for Life.

The child’s condition was stable and he was alert and responsive to staff at Children’s Hospital. The incident remains under investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office

 

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Date:              September 9, 2012
Case:             12-27324 Update rollover 8-21-12
Authority:      Lt. John Buck

Helen Woznick, aged 38, of Fond du Lac was pronounced dead at 8:15 P.M. on Saturday, September 8 as the result of injuries she received in a rollover crash that occurred on US 41 .5 mi. north of STH 144 on August 21. Both Wozniak and Timothy Jerdee, also from Fond du Lac were ejected in the vehicle. Jerdee died shortly after the crash.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit has completed the investigation into the crash and determined that Wozniak was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash.

 

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Date:                      September 2, 2012
Case#:                   12-28749 Plane Crash
Authority:              Lt. John Buck

The Washington County Sheriff’s Department received a report of a small homebuilt plane that went down in a field east of CTH XX south of Valley View in the Town of Farmington Sunday morning. The call was received by the department at 8:22 A.M. According to the caller, the pilot had suffered injuries but was conscious and alert. The Boltonville Fire Department First Responders and Kewaskum Rescue were dispatched to the call. Deputies investigating the crash learned that the aircraft was an unregistered single seat ultra-light airplane. Aircraft in the ultra-light category are not required to be registered and pilots of ultra-light aircraft are not required to be licensed pilots, according to Federal Aviation Administration regulations.

The 47 year old pilot was test flying the airplane which had been completed in April 2012 but not flown until September 1. The crash was witnessed by the pilot’s 22 year old son. The pilot had taken off and was about 30 feet above the ground when the airplane banked sharply to the right and lost altitude. The right wingtip contacted the ground and caused the plane to cartwheel. The pilot indicated to deputies that he had received some prior flight training but was not a licensed pilot.

The pilot was transported to St. Joseph Hospital by Kewaskum Rescue with non life threatening injuries.

Pilot: Robert Granger
Kewaskum

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