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brown bulletpointPress Releases June 2012

 

Date:                          June 29, 2012
Case:                         Fireworks
Authority:                  Sheriff Dale Schmidt           

Although WI laws and Washington County ordinances prohibit the use of almost all fireworks by private citizens, many people choose to use fireworks around the July 4th holiday.  In keeping with the spirit of celebrating America’s independence, Sheriff’s Deputies are normally fairly lenient on enforcing fireworks laws. 

This summer however, the dry conditions combined with use of fireworks presents a real danger to persons and property.  Sheriff Schmidt encourages the public to greatly limit their use of fireworks to prevent fires.  Deputies have been instructed to give little leeway when fireworks are being used in a manner that could lead to fires and the damage of property or injury to others.  Under these dry conditions, persons using fireworks that start a fire which endangers persons or property could be facing criminal charges of Negligent Handling of Burning Materials, not just a citation for fireworks.

Sheriff Schmidt encourages the public to limit their fireworks use and wishes all a happy and safe July 4th!

 

Date:                          06/25/2012         
Incident #                  2012-20253  
Authority:                  Lt. Robert Martin

On 06/25/2012 at 2:17am, two subjects were injured as the result of a motorcycle collision on CTH W north of Main Street in the town of Wayne. Area residents contacted the Sheriff’s Office after hearing the crash occur.

The cycle was being operated S/B on Hwy W by a 53 year old Village of Kewaskum man. A passenger on the bike was a 20 year old Kewaskum woman. As it was S/B, the motorcycle crossed over the N/B lane of traffic and brushed against the bridge guardrail, causing the vehicle to overturn. The cycle continued sliding until it impacted with a concrete retaining wall at an area residence.

The 20 year old passenger suffered a serious head injury. She was treated at the scene by the Kohlsville First Responders, Kewaskum and West Bend Recue Units. Flight For Life was requested to the scene. They took over patient care and transported her to the Milwaukee County Medical Complex. Her condition at this time is not known. The 53 year old operator received what appeared to be minor injuries. He was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment. Neither subject was wearing a helmet.

Alcohol consumption is being investigated as a possible contributing circumstance. The crash remains under investigatio 

Motorcycle Operator - Wayne A. Sutton  Kewaskum, Wi.

Passenger -      Elissa A. Esser  Kewaskum, Wi.

 

 Date:                June 19, 2012
Case:               12-17445 Bank Robberies
Authority:        Lt. Konstanz

 

On May 31st 2012, the M&I Bank located at 1301 STH 175, in the Village of Richfield was robbed by a white male suspect.  It is believed that the suspect entered a green, late 1990’s Plymouth Voyager or Dodge Caravan.  One witness reported the suspect’s green van had either a maroon or purple hood.

 

Additionally, it is believed the same suspect is responsible for five bank robberies in Kenosha, Fond Du Lac, West Bend, Richfield and Hartford.

KENOSHA and FOND DU LAC IMAGES 

 

WEST BEND IMAGES                               

                                                                       

RICHFIELD IMAGES

                            

HARTFORD IMAGES
     

                            

 

 

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at
(262)335-4420 or the Washington County Tip Line (800)232-0594 to be eligible for a reward up to $1000.

Additional contacts:
Detective Joel Clausing
Washington County Sheriff’s Office
262-335-4748

Detective Richard Thickens                                   
Hartford Police Department                                    
262-670-3607                                                         

Lt Tim Dehring
West Bend Police Department
262-335-5021

 

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Date:                    June 16, 2012
Incident:             12-19268
Authority:           Lt. Schulteis

 

On Saturday June 16, 2012 at 11:38 a.m., a 25 year-old Village of Campbellsport man was critically injured in a motorcycle/multi-vehicle motor vehicle accident on STH 28 at Kettle Moraine Drive in the Town of Kewaskum.  The preliminary investigation revealed a 46 year-old Town of Kewaskum woman was westbound on STH 28 attempting to make a legal left turn onto Kettle Moraine Drive in her sport utility vehicle. The Village of Campbellsport man was also westbound on STH 28 and rear-ended the sport utility vehicle as she was waiting to make the left turn.  The collision caused the motorcycle operator to be ejected onto the roadway. The operator’s motorcycle then slid into the eastbound lane of STH 28.  This caused an additional two eastbound motorcycles to crash.  One motorcycle operator took evasive action by driving into the south ditch to avoid the collision.  The second eastbound motorcycle struck the original downed motorcycle and then also entered the south ditch.

Kewaskum Fire Department responded to the scene and Kewaskum Police Department assisted the Sheriff’s Office under mutual aid.  Flight for Life was requested to the scene for the Campbellsport man, but was not able to fly due to weather conditions.  He was then transported via ground rescue to Froedtert Hospital at the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center. Both eastbound motorcycle operators were transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital in the Town of Polk with non-life threatening injuries.  The operator of the SUV was not transported.  The accident remains under investigation.  None of the motor cycle operators were wearing helmets and alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the collision.

Operator of westbound motorcycle:
Matthew Michael Smolinski  - 25 years of age
Village of Campbellsport, WI

Operator of westbound SUV:
De Ann Sue Mathson – 46 years old
Town of Kewaskum, WI

Operators of eastbound motorcycles:
Valerie Jane Parsons – 43 years old
Montello, WI

Troy John Hodorff – 50 years old
Van Dyne, WI

 

Date:              June 15, 2012
Case:              12-19135
Authority:      Sgt. Tim Kemps                    
           

On 6/15/12 at approximately 4:40am the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a structure fire at 8262 Orchard Valley Road in the Town of Farmington.  The original 911 caller was an employee on the farm.  The dispatch center also received several 911 calls from nearby residents and passing motorists.  The flames and smoke were visible from several miles away.  The Fillmore Fire Department was dispatched to the scene and they were assisted by the Boltonville, Fredonia, Jackson, Kewaskum, Newburg, Random Lake, Silver Creek, Waubeka, and West Bend Fire Departments.

The structure was a 4800 square foot metal pole shed.  The shed contained two tractors as well as a large amount of hay and straw.  The barn and its contents are being considered a total loss.  The damage estimate is in excess of 340,000 dollars.  The fire also caused some minor damage to a new home under construction that was located next to the pole barn.  There were no injuries to people or animals as a result of this fire.

The cause and origin of the fire was still under investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Property Owner
Christopher Elbe 12-27-68

 

Date:                June 15, 2012
Case:              Community Notification
Authority:       Sheriff Dale K. Schmidt

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.

Steven D. Hanek 59, will be released from prison on June 19, 2012.  After his release he will reside at the Washington County Jail while he attempts to locate a residence and employment.  Hanek was convicted of 948.02(2), 2nd Degree Sexual Assault of a Child, on 11/4/03.  Hanek will be on Extended Supervision (probation) until January 16, 2013 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.  Hanek 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 Steve Volz at 262-335-5667, Sex Offender Registration Specialist Erich Wuerslin at 414-773-4643 or Sgt. Jason Guslick at 262-335-4879.

 

STEVEN D. HANEK

 

Date:                          June 13, 2012
Incident #:                 2012-18943
Authority:                  Lt. Robert Stuesser

On Wednesday June 13, 2012 at 11:58 a.m. the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a two vehicle, roll-over style accident, on CTH H at Orchard Valley Rd. in the Town of Farmington.  Deputies and personnel from the Fillmore and Newburg Department’s were subsequently dispatched to the scene. 

Upon the arrival of rescue personnel, it was believed that a 21 year old Town of Farmington man had sustained significant injuries after being ejected from his vehicle.   As a result, Paramedics from the West Bend Fire Department and Flight for Life were requested to the scene.  After being treated by on-scene emergency medical personnel, the Farmington man was subsequently flown to the Milwaukee County Medical Complex with serious injuries. 

The operator of the second vehicle, a 35 year old Rosendale man, was treated at the scene and subsequently transported by the Kewaskum Fire Department to Aurora Medical Center in Hartford with non-life threatening injuries.

A preliminary investigation into the cause of the accident revealed that both men had been operating westbound on CTH H in the area of Orchard Valley Rd., when the Rosendale man’s pick-up was struck on the passenger side by a farm truck driven by the Farmington man as he attempted a pass on the right.  After the initial impact, the farm truck rolled onto its side ejecting the operator who was not wearing his seatbelt.  There were no passengers in either vehicle.     

CTH H in the area of Orchard Valley Rd. was closed to thru traffic for approximately 2 hours to facilitate rescue and clean-up efforts.  A Trooper with the Wisconsin State Patrol also assisted at the scene. 

The exact cause of the accident remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.

Operator of Farm Truck

Jacob D. Guttmann
Farmington, WI

Operator of Pick-up Truck

 Erick D. Laning
Rosendale, WI

 

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Date:                          June 5, 2012   
Case:                         2012-17957    
Authority:                 Sgt. Randy Boudry

The names involved in yesterday’s fatal crash are being released.

Deceased  - West bound vehicle operator:
James Beaudoin
Age 48
West Bend WI

Survivor  - East bound truck operator:
Kevin Luttinen
Age 38
Milwaukee WI

The accident remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s office.

 

Date:                         June 4, 2012               
Case:                         12-17957       
Authority:                 Sgt. Randy Boudry

Washington County authorities were alerted at 11:39 AM on June 4th, of a two vehicle collision on STH 33 west of STH 175 in the Town of Addison. Upon arrival, deputies found both vehicles on fire in the north ditch line.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a large industrial vacuum type truck, owned by Veolia Environmental Services had been east bound on STH 33. A west bound passenger vehicle was being operated by a 48 year old West Bend man, and was seen to cross the centerline and entered into the East bound lane where a head on collision occurred. As a result of the collision and fire, the operator and sole occupant of the passenger vehicle was trapped in the vehicle and died at the scene. This was the 5th fatality this year in the county.

The operator of the eastbound truck was not injured and was able to provide a statement as to how the collision happened as well as an un-involved motorist who saw the crash occur. Authorities do not yet know what caused the passenger car to cross the center line and this aspect remains under investigation. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor.

Allenton and St. Lawrence fire departments responded to the scene and extinguished the blaze. The road was closed and traffic was rerouted for approximately 3 hours and forty minutes. The road was reopened to traffic at 3:20 PM.       

The names of the drivers involved are being withheld at this time and will be released at mid day tomorrow.

 

Date:                          June 1, 2012
Case(s)                      Theft From Vehicles
Authority:                  Sheriff Dale Schmidt

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office would like to advise citizens in the Townships of Addison and West Bend, that it is currently investigating at least 13 thefts from vehicle incidents that have occurred since May 20th.

During that time, actors have entered unlocked vehicles and taken various items including phones, GPS’s, purses, wallets and tools.  The crimes have occurred in four subdivisions commonly known as Glenview Parkway, Hickory Knoll, Linden Dr. and Full Pail Ln.

The thefts are occurring during the night time hours, and it is believed that the actor(s) are on foot or bicycle as no suspect vehicles have been reported. 

After the first four incidents, Deputies conducted a door to door canvass of the Glenview Parkway and Linden Dr subdivisions resulting in the reporting of nine more incidents.  No suspects and little evidence have been developed.  Anyone with information regarding these thefts should contact the Sheriff’s Office.  Please pay special attention to individuals who live in these areas and have unexplained electronic devices or cash.

Sheriff’s Office 262-335-4411
Washington County Tip Line (anonymous) 1-800-232-0594 

Link to Map

 

Date:                          June 1, 2012
Case:                          12-17099
Authority:                   SHERIFF DALE SCHMIDT

On 5-28-2012, Sheriff’s Detectives arrested a Chad Millard, 26 of West Bend, on one count of Burglary to a Building.  Millard confessed to entering an outbuilding on Beechnut Dr. in the Town of Wayne earlier on May 28th, with the intent to steal tools.  Millard was not arrested in the act, but was contacted later in the day as a suspect in several burglaries.

Millard made an initial appearance in Washington County Court on May 30th where he was ordered to be held on $3,000 cash bond.

Numerous burglaries to outbuildings involving the taking of tools have occurred in the northern half of Washington County over the past five weeks.  Sheriff’s Detectives are continuing to collect evidence and it is expected that up to 11 cases may eventually be cleared with more charges filed.  These crimes occurred in the Towns of Trenton, Wayne, Barton, Farmington and also in other counties.

 

 

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