Press Releases

Date:                  January 31 2014     
Case:                 Injury Accident (14-4045)
Authority:          Sergeant Ryan Herman

On Friday, January 31, 2014 at 10:52 AM the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was notified by Kewaskum Fire and Rescue of an injury accident at the intersection of Hwy 45 and Hwy H/Badger Rd. in the Town of Kewaskum. Kewaskum Fire and Rescue advised their ambulance was involved in the accident. Sheriff Deputies responded along with Village of Kewaskum officers and additional personnel from the Kewaskum Fire Department.

On arrival, three vehicles were observed to be involved in the accident and a total of five patients needing transport. Additional rescue equipment and personnel were requested from the West Bend Fire Department to assist with the transport of injured patients. Those patients included the operators of the westbound vehicle and the Kewaskum ambulance, two additional Kewaskum rescue personnel riding in the ambulance and the initial patient being transported to a hospital prior to the accident via the Kewaskum ambulance. Both southbound lanes of Hwy 45 were closed at the intersection for approximately one hour to assist with scene safety and removal of vehicles.

Initial investigation determined the Kewaskum ambulance was south on Hwy 45 approaching the intersection. Upon entering the controlled intersection, the southbound ambulance was struck by a westbound vehicle. The westbound vehicle came to rest in the intersection as the ambulance continued south of the intersection a short distance prior to striking a light standard pole and then crossing over both lanes of southbound traffic and entering the median. After entering the median, the ambulance continued until it came into contact with a Rite Way bus as it was stopped in the Hwy 45 northbound turn lane onto Badger Rd. The bus was loaded with middle school aged children who were en-route to the Sunburst Ski Hill. One child on the bus suffered minor injury as a result of the incident. That injury was reported to the Sheriff’s Office after the children were removed from the scene and transported to the ski hill via a second school bus that was also en-route to the ski hill. The child was not transported by rescue personnel.

 

The investigation is on-going, as additional subjects need to be interviewed.

 

NOTICE:
In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b).

 

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Date:                 January 27, 2014        
Case:                 Armed Robbery (2014-3545)
Authority:          Sgt. Nathan Peskie 

On Monday January 27, 2013 at 11:43pm the Sheriff’s Office received a call from an employee of Addison Station located at 5022 Addison Road in the Town of Addison reporting they had been robbed by a masked subject with a gun. The employee reported the suspect left on foot and a vehicle was not observed. Deputies were on scene within a matter of minutes, but were unable to locate the suspect.

The suspect was described as a white male approximately 5’10”, 130lbs, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with the hood up, gloves, and a mask covering his face. The suspect demanded the cash from drawer and pulled a silver handgun when the employee hesitated. The employee gave the suspect the cash and the suspect fled on foot.

The suspect was seen by a witness at the gas pumps running from the store towards Highway K. We are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident or anyone with information about the incident to contact the Sheriff’s Office.

 

NOTICE:

In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b).

 

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Date:             Thursday, January 23, 2014
Case:             14-2916 Cty Hy A Vehicle Crash
Authority:       Sgt. Michael Hennes

On Thursday, January 23, 2014 at approximately 3:44 p.m. the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a two vehicle crash on Cty Hy A east of Cty Hy M in the Town of Farmington. Deputies and personnel from the Newburg, West Bend and Fillmore Fire Departments were dispatched to the scene.

The first arriving Deputy located the vehicles and found one of the drivers pinned between a truck and a trailer attached to the truck. The pinned person was found to be deceased. The driver of a car was also located in their car. The driver of the car was extricated by Fire Department personnel and transported to the hospital via Flight for Life. 

Preliminary investigation into the cause of the crash suggests the truck was stopped on Cty Hy A, and the driver was out of the truck when the car crashed into the rear of the trailer.  

Cty Hy A was closed between Cty Hy M and River View Rd for approximately 5 ¼ hours.

The deceased person is a 70 year old man from Sheboygan County. The Driver of the car is a 28 year old West Bend woman.

At this time the accident remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Accident Reconstruction Unit, and Commercial Vehicle Inspectors.

This is Washington County’s first traffic fatality for 2014. 

NOTICE: In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b).

 

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Date:               January 23, 2014
Case:              Washington County Jail Promotions
Authority:       Sheriff Dale Schmidt

Sheriff Dale Schmidt is proud to announce two promotions in the Corrections Division of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

On January 16th, Sergeant Scott Lehman was promoted to Corrections Lieutenant. The vacancy was created by a retirement.  Lt. Lehman was hired as a Corrections Officer in 2000 and promoted to Sergeant in 2004.  The Corrections Lieutenant is second in command of the County Jail under the direction of the Jail Administrator, Captain Shirley Miller.

Also on January 16th, Corrections Officer Amy Schmit was promoted to Corrections Sergeant.  The vacancy was created by a promotion.  Sgt. Schmit was hired in 2004 and will be assigned to 2nd Shift managing day to day Jail operations.

“Both of these supervisors were selected from a strong pool of candidates and will serve the Sheriff’s Office and Washington County with professionalism and dignity,” said Sheriff Schmidt.

 

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Date:               January 7, 2014
Case:               #14-00755 Fire Investigation
Authority:        Lt Robert Konstanz

Today at approximately 8:04 am the Washington County Sheriff’s Office received a call from 3115 Maple Road in the Town of Jackson for flames and smoke in a detached garage.  Numerous fire departments were paged to the scene and the fire was extinguished.  Responding units discovered an 88 year old male deceased inside the garage. 

It is believed the victim had been in the garage working to start a car when a fire started inside that detached garage.  The structure received smoke damage and one vehicle was destroyed by fire.

An investigation into the fire and the death of the man is continuing.  There is no sign of foul play at this time. An autopsy will be completed on the victim.

 

NOTICE:

In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b).

 

Date:                April 25, 2014
Case :              Fatal Accident 14-14768
Authority:        Captain Steve Gonwa

Washington County suffered its 2^nd and 3^rd traffic fatalities of 2014 as a result of a one car accident. The accident occurred at 2:34 a.m. on STH 164 1/10 mi. north of CTH Q in the Village of Richfield. 

The two victims, a 37 year old man and 38 year old woman, both from Richfield, were in a vehicle traveling northbound on STH 164. The vehicle crossed left of center for unknown reasons and entered the southbound ditch line where it struck a culvert, went airborne and struck a utility pole before coming to rest upside down in the ditch line. The man was ejected from the vehicle while the woman remained pinned inside. At this time it is unknown which victim was driving at the time of the accident. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene by the Washington County Medical Examiner. 

No other vehicles are believed to have been involved in the accident. Possible factors contributing to the accident remain under investigation. 

Richfield FD responded to the scene to assist with extrication. 

The accident remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Team. 

STH 164 was closed north of CTH Q for the duration of the investigation.

 

NOTICE:
In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b)

  

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Date:               April 22, 2014
Case :             Armed Robbery 14-14353
Authority:       Lt. Martin Schulteis

On Tuesday, April 22, 2014 at 1:47 a.m. the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was notified of an armed robbery that occurred at CC’s Place located at 8892 Cty Tk W in the Town of Wayne. At closing time, an armed subject forced his way into the tavern and knocked the 27 year-old female bartender to the floor. The suspect then pointed a firearm at the employee and demanded money. The suspect was described as male about 5’8” tall, medium build and was wearing a ski mask.

There were no customers in the establishment at the time of the incident and the employee was not seriously hurt. The suspect fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect vehicle may have been an older tan four-door car. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 262-335-4378.

 

NOTICE:
In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b).

 

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Date:                  April 18, 2014
Case :                Barn Fire – 14-13888  
Authority:          Sgt. Chad Beres 

On the above date at 5:48 pm the Sheriff’s Office was notified of a barn fire at 7236 Arthur Rd in the Town of Hartford.  The caller was one of the property owners and reported a tractor was on fire in the 200ft X 200ft cow barn and there were cows in the barn.  A second caller at 5:52pm reported the barn was fully engulfed.

Hartford Fire Department was paged and they were assisted by fire departments from Slinger, St. Lawrence, Allenton, Richfield, Woodland, Neosho, Iron Ridge, Ashippun, Stone Bank, Kohlsville and Lifestar Rescue.  Fire personnel were still on scene as of this release working on extinguishing hot spots that were flaring up.

The tractor had been used by the property owner approximately 30-40 minutes prior to the start of the fire and parked it in the barn on the northeast side of the building.  The property owner was advised of the fire by farm employees and the property owner saw flames coming from the engine compartment of the tractor.  The barn is actually 4 structures that are connected.  All of the structures were damaged, but 3 of the 4 structures are a total loss.  At this time there is no damage estimate available.

One fire fighter suffered a minor injury during the operation.  There were cows and calves inside the buildings during the fire.  There were animals that perished in the fire and some that will need to be euthanized, but at this time the amount is unknown.

 

NOTICE:
In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b)

 

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Date:             April 17, 2014
Case :           Injury Accident  14-13768 Town of Farmington
Authority:     Captain Steve Gonwa

A 26 year old Newburg man is in critical condition following a one car accident on Jay Rd. east of Fillmore Rd. in the Town of Farmington.  The accident scene was located and reported to the Sheriff’s Office by a passerby at 1:36 p.m.

Evidence at the scene indicates that the man was traveling westbound on Jay Rd. when he lost control of his vehicle on the wet roadway. The town road is located in a swampy area and portions of the roadway were covered with water as a result of the recent flooding. The roadway was covered with approximately one inch of water across both lanes in the area where the accident occurred. The roadway had been posted with cautionary signs for high water by the township. 

The vehicle skid out of control and entered the eastbound ditch line where it overturned and came to rest upside down, partially submerged in the North Branch of the Milwaukee River. The man was believed to have been returning home from his place of employment in Random Lake when the accident occurred.

The Fillmore Fire Department responded to the scene assisted by Newburg Rescue and West Bend Intercept. Rescue personnel were able to right the vehicle with a winch and then extricated the man from his vehicle and began resuscitation efforts. Based on the investigation, it is believed that the vehicle may have been submerged in the river for up to five minutes before it was discovered. At this time the extent of his physical injuries from the accident is unknown.

The Washington County Dive Team responded to the scene and conducted a search of the river to confirm other occupants had not been in the vehicle. It was confirmed that the man was alone in the vehicle.

The man was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital by Newburg Rescue where he was subsequently transferred to Froedtert Hospital via Flight for Life. He remains in critical condition at this time.

 

NOTICE:
In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b).

 

 

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Date:           April 17, 2014
Case :         Arrest in fatal vehicle crash 14-2916
Authority:   Lt. Martin Schulteis

On Wednesday April 16^th the Washington County Sheriff’s Office took a 28 year-old City of West Bend female into custody as a result of a continuing investigation into a fatal vehicle crash which occurred on January 23, 2014. The Sheriff’s Office has now completed our investigation which was confirmed through toxicology testing of the suspect. The crash occurred near the intersection of Cty Tk A and Cty Tk M in the Town of Farmington and resulted in the death of a 70 year-old Cedar Grove man. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene after he became pinned between his truck and trailer which was rear-ended by the 28 year-old woman.

The woman is currently incarcerated at the Washington County Jail and being held without bail on the following charges:

 

• Homicide by Intoxicated Use of a Motor Vehicle
• Homicide While Operating with a Detectable Amount of Restricted Controlled Substance
• Knowingly Operating While Suspended and Cause Death to Another Person
• Possession of Controlled Substance
• Possession of Marijuana
• Possess Drug Paraphernalia

 

NOTICE:
In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b).

 

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Date:            April 11, 2014                  
Case :          Cell Phone Scam Involving the 9-1-1 System  
Authority:    Captain Steve Gonwa

The Washington County Communication Center is alerting cell phone users to a potential scam involving the use of the numbers 1-1-2.

This scam involves a cell phone user receiving a phone message or text stating that there is a problem with their financial account, such as a credit or debit card. The message tells the user to call back for more information by pressing 1 or dialing 1-1-2. When the user follows those instructions, their cell phone actually dials 9-1-1 and the call is routed to the local 9-1-1 center.

On this date, the Sheriff’s Office has received over 40 of these calls through the 9-1-1 system.

At this point, there has been no impact on 9-1-1 service or responses in the county, but these false 9-1-1 calls could potentially interfere with a caller trying to place a legitimate 9-1-1 call.

The Sheriff’s Office is requesting that cell phone users ignore and do not return these fraudulent calls asking them to press 1 or dial 1-1-2.

The perpetrators of this scam and their intent are unknown. Cell phone providers and Federal agencies are actively investigating the scam and working on solutions.

 

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Date:              April 10, 2014                  
Case :            Vehicle Crash Cth H and Sth 144 (14-12951)    
Authority:       Sgt. Michael Hennes

On 4-10-14 at 3:59 pm the Sheriff’s Office was notified of a two vehicle crash on Cth H west of Sth 144 involving multiple injured persons.

During the initial investigation of the crash it was determined a 32 year old woman from Milwaukee was traveling west on Cth H when she traveled over the center line and struck an east bound car being driven by a 69 year old male from the Town of Farmington.

Also in the car with the Milwaukee woman were her two children, a 6 year old female and a 3 year old male.

The 69 year male, 3 year old male, and the 6 year old female were transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital, West Bend.

The 32 year old female was transported by Theda Star Helicopter to Froedtert Hospital.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Kewaskum Fire Dept, West Bend Fire Dept, and Boltonville Fire Dept.

The crash remains under investigation by the Washington Co. Sheriff’s Office, no further information will be released at this time. 

NOTICE:

In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b).

 

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Date:          April 4, 2014
Case:         Update to "Arrest of Driver Fleeing From a Crash Scene”
Authority:  Lt. Martin Schulteis

The driver of the car that failed to stop for deputies is a 26 year-old Town of Jackson man. After the pursuit, he was arrested for operation while intoxicated - second offense and felony eluding. He also received several traffic citations for various violations relating to the accident as well as the pursuit.

The driver of the other vehicle remained at the scene of the accident and was also arrested for operation while under the influence - sixth offense. He is a 57 year-old Village of Germantown man.

Both individuals are still in custody at the Washington County Jail and injuries are all minor.

 

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Date:             April 03, 2014                  
Case:            Arrest of Driver Fleeing From a Crash Scene
Authority:       Sgt. Michael Hennes

On 4-3-14 at about 3:10 PM the Sheriff’s office was notified of a two vehicle crash involving injuries at 3230 Pioneer Rd in the Village of Richfield. While officers were responding to the area, witnesses to the crash phoned the dispatch center indicating one of the cars involved in the crash was fleeing from the scene.

One of the callers continued to follow the car for several miles until officers could catch up and attempt to stop the car.

The driver of the car failed to stop for officers and a short pursuit started, after 6 miles the car came to a stop in the area of County Highway G and Holy Hill Rd. The driver was taken into custody and remains in custody at the Washington Co. Jail.

No further information is being released at this time.

NOTICE:
In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b).

 

 

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Date:                    May 25, 2014
Case :                  #2014-18587 - Structure Fire
Authority:            Sgt Nathan Peskie

On Sunday, May 25, 2014, at 3:37 AM the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to 1427 Parish Drive in the Village of Richfield for a report of a residence filling with smoke after homeowners were awoken by smoke detectors. Deputies and firefighters from the Richfield Fire Department were subsequently dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, a deputy assisted in evacuating the two homeowners and three dogs after observing fire in the attached garage.

The Richfield Fire Department requested assistance from the Germantown, Slinger, Jackson and Lisbon Fire Departments to aid at the scene. Upon arrival fire personnel were able to quickly gain control of the blaze and prevented the fire from spreading throughout the living portion of the residence. The garage which contained three vehicles suffered significant damage. The rest of the house suffered smoke damage as a result.

The fire is being investigated by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. A fourth dog was found deceased in the garage as a result of the fire. The cause of fire is not known at this time however there were rags used for staining stored in the area of the garage where the fire originated. The estimated damage to the garage and residence is over $100,000.

 

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Date:              May 19, 2014                  
Cases:           14-17757  
Authority:      Sgt. Tim Kemps

On Monday 5/19/14 at 12:33am the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a house fire at 4757 Jackson Drive in the Town of Jackson. The fire was reported by the homeowners after they were awoken by their dog which alerted them of the fire. The four people inside were able to quickly evacuate the residence. The first arriving deputy arrived on scene and found that the garage portion of the two story single family residence was completely engulfed in flames.

The Jackson Fire Department responded to the scene and were assisted by the Fillmore, Germantown, Newburg, Richfield and Slinger Fire Departments. They were able to quickly gain control of the blaze and prevented the fire from spreading throughout the living portion of the residence. The garage which was attached to the residence is considered a total loss as well as the mud room that was attached. The rest of the house suffered smoke damage as a result.

The fire remains under investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. There were no working smoke detectors inside the residence at that time of the fire. The American Red Cross responded to the scene to assist the family. Jackson Drive was shut down for approximately 3 hours.  There were no major injuries as a result of this incident.

 

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Date:             May 15, 2014                    
Cases:           14-15458, 14-16339, 14-16596, 14-16616   
Authority:      Lt. Paul Buth

On Monday May 12thth City of West Bend resident Kyle Ryan was charged with multiple drug offenses including delivery of heroin. Bail was set by the Honorable Judge Pouros at $10,000. Ryan had been the subject of an investigation by the Washington County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Group (Drug Unit).

Several weeks of investigation culminated in a residential search warrant obtained by the Drug Unit and executed by the West Bend PD SWAT team. Two other arrests were made in conjunction with the search warrant and Ryan’s arrest.  Both were charged with lesser drug offenses including possession of a controlled substance.

 

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Date:                   May 14, 2014
Case:                  Multiple – Shed Burglaries
Authority:           Lt. Martin Schulteis

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a series of burglaries that have occurred at multiple storage facilities in the Towns of Barton, Jackson, Kewaskum, Polk, and Trenton during the first quarter of 2014. Approximately 100 storage unit burglaries in Washington County are under investigation by our office that occurred between the second week of January and the beginning of April of this year.  Also, there have been individual storage units entered in various incorporated municipalities throughout Washington County during the same time frame. During the course of the investigation, a 54 year old man, and his 29 year old nephew, were developed as prime suspects in the cases. Both individuals reside in the City of Milwaukee. 

On April 22, 2014, four separate search warrants based on a Saukville Police Department case were executed in the City of Milwaukee.   The search warrant execution was a collaborative effort between the Saukville Police Department, Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Department, Milwaukee Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.  The warrants, obtained by the Saukville Police Department, were for the suspects’ residences and two businesses. Both prime suspects were taken into custody as a result of the warrant. The 29 year old male was taken to the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Department, and the 54 year old man remains in custody at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office on a parole hold pending the request of formal charges from the agencies involved.

During the warrant execution, over 600+ items were recovered at the four different locations.  The items included three trailers, three motorcycles, two all terrain vehicles and eleven guns.  Due to the large amount of other various items recovered, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office rented a 26 foot box truck to transport all of the stolen items back to our office for safekeeping and inventorying.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is in the process of identifying the owners of the stolen property by working with various law enforcement agencies throughout the state.  Washington County Investigators believe items were recovered for agencies that include Shawano Police Department, Fox Valley Metro Police Department, Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, Brown County Sheriff’s Office, Caledonia Police Department and Big Bend Police Department.  Some of the items have been identified and remain at the Sheriff’s Office while some of the items have been returned to the lawful owners.  Many of the items remain unaccounted for.  In an effort to locate owners, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office has taken over 700 pictures and completed an inventory list of all the property seized.  This information was then distributed regionally to agencies that may have potential victims.  Individual citizens who wish to inquire about specific property should contact the specific law enforcement agency that initially investigated the case rather than directly contacting the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

At the conclusion of the investigation it is anticipated the suspects will face multiple felonies in many different jurisdictions.

 

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Date:          May 11, 2014           
Case :        2014-16896
Authority:   Lieutenant Bruce Theusch

On May 11, 2014 at approximately 9:30 pm the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a motorcycle accident on County Road WW 1/10^th of a mile north of Beaver Dam Road in the Town of Wayne.

Prior to the accident the motorcyclist was northbound on County Road WW, when a deer crossed the roadway into the path of the motorcycle. The motorcyclist struck the deer causing the motorcycle to overturned ejecting the operator and his passenger. The driver of the motorcycle, a 42 year old Town of Wayne man, was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital for facial injuries. The passenger, a 45 year old Town of Wayne woman, was transport to Froedtert Hospital for head injuries. Flight for Life was requested to transport the female but was unable to fly due to weather.

Kohlsville, Allenton and West Bend Fire/ Rescue responded to the scene to treat the injured.

Neither occupants of the motorcycle were wearing helmets. Alcohol was not a factor. The deer was found at the scene deceased.

 

NOTICE:
In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b)

 

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Date:              May 5, 2014
Incident:         Home Invasion
Authority:      Captain Steve Gonwa

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is alerting Kewaskum area residents to a home invasion which occurred on May 5th in the 9300 block of Old Fond du Lac Rd in the Town of Kewaskum.

At approximately 12:48 a.m. a resident was awakened by the sound of breaking glass. The resident proceeded to investigate the source of the sound when he confronted a male suspect standing inside the residence by a dining room table located near the front door. The suspect had apparently broken the glass on the locked front door and gained entry to the residence.

The resident yelled at the suspect who then grabbed a purse off of the dining room table and fled on foot from the residence. The purse contained personal effects, credit cards and $40 in cash.

The suspect was described as male/white approximately 6’ tall, medium build, wearing lighter colored pants and a dark sweatshirt or jacket.

There were no weapons displayed by the suspect or homeowner. The suspect remains at large.

The Sheriff’s Office is asking residents to secure their entry doors, windows and garage doors.  Lock any detached garages and storage sheds. Keep your yard and property well lit. If you observe a crime taking place, call 911. Suspicious activity can be reported 24/7 to the Sheriff’s Office by calling 262-335-4411.

 

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JUNE

Date:            June 30, 2014              
Case :          #2014-22900 Structure Fire
Authority:     Sgt Nathan Peskie

On Monday, June 30, 2014, at 12:54AM the Washington County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a barn fire at 3745 Beaver Dam Road in the Town of Barton. Deputies and firefighters from the West Bend Fire Department were subsequently dispatched to the scene. Upon deputies arrival they found the large wood barn to be completely ablaze with the fire rapidly intensifying and spreading to two additional adjacent out buildings.

The West Bend Fire Department requested assistance from the Fillmore, Jackson, Slinger, Kewaskum, Allenton, and Newburg Fire Departments to aid at the scene. The barn contained hay, tools, and several pieces of old farm machinery. The residence at the property was not affected by the fires. Beaver Dam Road between Wildwood Road and Kettle View Drive was closed for approximately 4 hours to facilitate firefighting operations.    

The fire is being investigated by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. The cause of fire is not known at this time, however a neighbor witnessed a lightning strike in the general area. The barn, its contents and the two smaller out buildings are considered a total loss, but no dollar estimates are available at this time. There were no injuries reported as a result of the incident.

West Bend Rescue staged and assisted at the scene; WE energies assisted with de-energizing the residence.

 

NOTICE:

In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use. Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies. Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b).

 

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Date:            Saturday, June 14, 2014
Case:            #14-21031 - 9 and 4 year old take car without owner’s consent
Authority:     Sgt. Michael Hennes

At about 5:23 pm the Sheriff’s Office received cellular 911 calls reporting two young children had just taken a car from the parking lot of a boat dealership locate on Sth 33 just west of the City of West Bend.

Several of the callers were able to continue to follow the children as the car was driven West on Sth 33 then South on Sth 144. Once in the area of Sth 144 and Cth K witnesses were able to get the car stopped, approach the car, turn the car off and remove the keys from the car.

When officers arrived they found a 9 and 4 year old were the only two persons in the car. The 9 year old had been driving the car and the 4 year old was the passenger.

The two children indicated they wondered away from their home in the City of West Bend and were trying to get to their grandmothers house on Sth 144.

The total distance driven by the 9 year old was about 4 miles.

No injuries were reported, and no damage to property was found. No charges are being filed by the Washington County Sheriff Office. Wisconsin State Patrol assisted in the initial contact with the children.

The West Bend Police Department and Washington County Human Services Department will be doing follow up investigations with the children.

NOTICE:

In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b).

 

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Date:           June 12, 2014                    
Case:           Injury Accident #14-20837
Authority:    Sgt. Chad Beres

On the above date at approximately 7:26 pm the West Bend Police Department received a report of an erratic motorist on E. Washington Street (Hwy 33) near the intersection with S. River Road.  The caller was able to provide the registration displayed on the suspect vehicle.  This information was passed along to the Sheriff’s Dispatch Center when the vehicle was not able to be located, since the registered owner’s address was in Allenton (Town of Addison).

A Sheriff’s Deputy who was traveling eastbound on Hwy 33 located the suspect vehicle traveling westbound at a high rate of speed at approximately 7:52 pm.  The Deputy proceeded westbound, but lost sight of the suspect vehicle.  The Deputy proceeded to Allenton and located the suspect vehicle after it had just been involved in a head-on collision with an eastbound pickup truck near the intersection of Main Street (Hwy 33) and Church Street.  The Deputy reported the engine compartment of the suspect vehicle was partially ablaze.  The Deputy cut the seatbelts of the driver and passenger of the suspect vehicle and was assisted by some bystanders in removing them from the vehicle. 

The driver and passenger of the suspect vehicle were transported via ambulance to St. Joseph’s Hospital for serious injuries.  The driver of the suspect vehicle was then transferred to Froedtert Hospital via Flight for Life.  The driver and sole occupant of the eastbound pickup truck was transported via ambulance to Aurora Medical Center in Hartford for minor injuries. 

The Washington County Accident Reconstruction Team is currently working at the scene.  Alcohol and speed appear to be factors in the crash, but no other information is being released at this time.

NOTICE:
In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b)

 

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Date:           June 5, 2014                    
Case:           #14-19876
Authority:     Lt. Paul Buth

Wednesday June 4th two suspects were arrested at a traffic stop on US Hwy 41 returning from Milwaukee with heroin. The traffic stop was made by the Washington County Sheriff’s K-9 unit. The stop was related to an ongoing investigation into heroin distribution by the Washington County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Group (Drug Unit).

The two suspects, one male and one female age 32 and 23 were both from the Town of Addison area, and were believed to be involved in heroin distribution to that area as well as West Bend and other areas in Washington County. Search Warrants were obtained with the assistance of the Washington County District Attorney’s office and signed by the Honorable Judge Muehlbauer.  Execution of the search warrants by the Drug Unit ultimately resulted in the seizure of 32.1 grams of uncut heroin with a street value of approximately $6400.

As the typical dose of heroin is normally less than .1gram, this represents a significant amount of heroin for our jurisdiction.

The Drug Unit is primarily staffed by, supervised by, and headquartered at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with officers provided with financial support from all full time police departments in Washington County. The Drug Unit’s current top priority is enforcement related to opiates at the delivery level.

 

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Date:           June 1, 2014                    
Case:           14-17234, 14-17855, 14-18125, 14-18894, 14-19130
Authority:     Lt. Paul Buth

On Thursday May 29th three suspects were arrested at a traffic stop on US45 near West Bend by a Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy for their involvement in heroin deliveries. The suspects were a 20 year old male and a 41 year old male from the Kewaskum area and a 24 year old female from the City of West Bend.

They had been the subject of an on-going investigation by the Washington County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Group (Drug Unit). The investigation resulted in sales of heroin to an undercover police officer occurring in the City of West Bend, the Village Jackson, and the Village Kewaskum.

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JULY

Date:         July 21, 2014              
Case :        Multi-State Drug Conspiracy 
Authority:   Sheriff Dale K. Schmidt

Washington County Sheriff Dale Schmidt commends the members of the Washington County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Group, the DEA and US Attorney's Office for their work in this important case.

"Although not front and center in the news, these types of synthetic drugs are very dangerous to the user. Multi-State synthetic drug conspiracy cases require a high level of knowledge and skill to investigate. The Washington County MJDG Detectives have these skills, and I am pleased they were able to work with the DEA and US Attorney to end this group's distribution of the drug in the Washington County area."

Link to more information: Drug Conspiracy

 

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Date:            July 14, 2014              
Case :          Vehicle Accident (2014-24571)  
Authority:     Lt. Martin Schulteis

On Sunday, July 13, 2014 at 9:06 a.m. the Sheriff's Office received a cellular 911 call regarding a car traveling east bound in the wrong lane of traffic on neward Drive near indian Lore Road in the Town of Farmington. The caller reported the vehicle appeared to have been occupied by two young children and the youth that was driving the vehicle was not able to keep the vehicle in the correct lane of traffic as the caller continued to follow. A Washington County Sheriff's Deputy was able to intercept the vehicle approximately 3 miles from the initial call location. Before the Deputy was able to make the traffic stop, the operator of the suspect vehicle went into the ditch in the area of Cty Trunk A and Trading Post Trail in the town of Farmington. there were not any injuries to either of the juveniles and the vehicle did not sustain any damage as a result of going off road.

Deputies on scene were able to identify the driver as a 9 year old City of West Bend juvenile, and the passenger was a 4 year old City of West Bend child. These are the same two children that were involved in a similar incident on June 14, 2014 in the Town of Barton. During this investigation it was determined that the vehicle belonged to the step father of the 9 year old and was taken from the City of West Bend.

The vehicle was removed from the scene by a local towing company and the two children were transported by the deputy to the Sheriff’s Office to meet with officers from the West Bend Police Department, members of Washington County Acute Care Services and the children’s parents.  The Sheriff’s Office will not be seeking any traffic related charges on the youth, but the stolen vehicle complaint, and the circumstances regarding the missing vehicle, was turned over to West Bend Police and the Washington County Department of Human Services.

 

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AUGUST

Date:                 August 17, 2014     
Case:                USH 41 Bus Fire (2014-29247)
Authority:          Sgt Nathan Peskie
        

On Sunday, August 17, 2014, at 2:31pm the Washington County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a bus on fire on USH 41 southbound north of CTH K in the Town of Addison. Deputies and firefighters from the St Lawrence Fire Department were dispatched to the scene. Upon deputies’ arrival found a coach style bus to be completely engulfed in fire with all of its passengers safely evacuated. Two passengers were transported by Allenton Rescue to AMC Hartford for precautionary reasons and were treated and released.

The St Lawrence Fire Department with assistance from Allenton Fire Department quickly extinguished the bus fire and a small adjacent grass fire. Traffic on USH 41 southbound was stopped just north of the fire scene for safety and to assist in the firefighting operations. Northbound USH 41 was limited to one lane north of CTH K and the stopped traffic between STH 33 and the fire scene was diverted onto the closed northbound lane of travel.        

The bus from Georgia was transporting two drivers and fifty six passengers from Oshkosh to Atlanta. The passengers, all from England were transported to St Lawrence Fire Department by another southbound bus that had stopped to assist. The Red Cross responded and assisted at St Lawrence Fire Department by supplying food and water until arrangements were made for a charter bus company to transport the stranded passengers to Atlanta, Georgia.

The bus appears to have caught fire after a rear tire went flat, the bus was completely destroyed as a result of the fire. Once the bus and the debris were removed southbound USH 41 was re-opened. USH 41 southbound between STH 33 and CTH K was closed for approximately three hours during this incident.

In addition to the response from St Lawrence Fire, Allenton Fire, and Allenton Rescue, the Wisconsin State Patrol and the Slinger Police Department assisted in controlling traffic. The Washington County Highway Department also assisted in placing signage and safety barrels to help re-route traffic on USH 41.

 

NOTICE:
In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b).

 

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Date:               August 12, 2014
Case #:           14-28624
Authority:        Lt. Robert Stuesser

On Tuesday, August 12, 2014 at approximately 7:21 p.m., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a house fire located at 3055 Western Ave. in the Town of Polk.  The caller reported that everybody was out of the residence.  Deputies and firefighters from the Jackson Fire Department were subsequently dispatched to the scene.  Upon their arrival, emergency responders observed a moderate amount of smoke emitting from the single family home.    

Firefighters quickly located and extinguished a small smoldering type fire in one of the bedrooms.  Damage from the fire was estimated at approximately $15,000.00.   No residents or firefighters were injured as a result of the fire. 

Western Ave. between CTH P and Prairie Ridge La. was intermittently restricted for approximately 1.5 hours to facilitate overhaul and clean-up operations.  While the exact cause of the fire is unknown, at this time it does not appear to be incendiary in nature. 

The matter remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.

 

NOTICE:
In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b).

 

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Date:            August 2, 2014
Case #:        14-27239 Fatal Crash          
Authority:    Sgt. Randy Boudry

A 64 year old City of Hartford man was killed as a result of a single car roll over crash in the Town of Polk. The crash happened on STH 144 just south of the Arthur Rd. intersection and was reported at 11:24 AM to the Washington County Sheriff’s office.

The crash remains under investigation but evidence indicates the car was being driven north bound on the highway and completely left the paved roadway to the right. Tire marks show the car re-entering the pavement, crossing the south bound lane and entering the opposite side of the roadway and overturned, coming to rest on its roof. The lone occupant/driver was ejected from the car and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Witnesses to the crash indicate no excessive speed or other erratic driving was observed prior to the car leaving the road and is not believed to have been a factor. This is the 8th  traffic fatality in the County this year.

 

NOTICE:
In compliance with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Senne v. Village of Palatine, 695F3d597 (7th Circuit, 2012), and the Driver’s Privacy Protections Act (“DPPA”), 18 U.S.C. §2721 et.seq., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is no longer releasing personal information under the DPPA unless it falls under a permissible use.  Personal information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, including an individual’s date of birth, drivers license number, social security number, home address, telephone number, photograph and medical or disability information is prohibited from disclosure unless one of the permissible uses applies.  Permissible uses are listed in 18 U.S.C. 2721 (b).

 

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