Lincoln County Sheriff?s reports
Deputies responded early last Monday morning to Lake Alice after a caller reported a vehicle had fallen through the ice. The 19 year old Wausau man who was driving the vehicle was not injured when his 1995 Ford F150 sank on the north side of the lake near Bullfrog Lane around midnight. The Rec. Deputy monitored the area until Tuesday when the vehicle was removed and the area of thin ice was roped off. On Monday afternoon the Rec. Deputy checked out an ice shanty that had fallen through the ice on Lake Mohawksin. A Tomahawk man told the deputy that he was towing the shanty with an ATV when it broke through. No injuries were reported in either incident. The Rec. Deputy again urges cautions to sport enthusiasts especially with the predicted warm weather this week.
A 31 year old Merrill man remains in the Lincoln County Jail after deputies investigated an altercation New Year’s Eve Day in the Town of Scott. Just before 2 p.m. a cell 911 call reported the incident on Lake Rd. When deputies arrived they learned the suspect Anthony M. Zierahn had fled the residence on foot but he was located by a deputy walking nearby. The victim reported a verbal altercation turned physical and Zierahn struck her and choked her. Zierahn was brought to the Lincoln County Jail where he was booked on misdemeanor charges of battery and disorderly conduct and a felony charge of strangulation. At a bond hearing on Wednesday a Lincoln County Judge ordered Zierahn held on a $500 cash bond, he also is being held on a probation hold.
A fight between two Merrill men, brothers aged 39 and 41, will result in a referral to the Lincoln County District Attorney. A deputy responded to Ministry Good Samaritan Health Center New Year’s Eve just before midnight and spoke with the younger sibling after he had been transported by ambulance. He related he was at a residence on Moritzville Ave. in the Town of Merrill when a family issue turned into a physical altercation and he was punched in the head. The victim refused to cooperate with the investigation but a witness at the scene related the elder brother picked up the younger brother and dropped him on the kitchen table causing it to collapse when the argument started. Alcohol was a factor in the incident which will result in both men being referred on disorderly conduct charges.
A 48 year old Tomahawk woman was arrested early Wednesday after deputies responded to a disturbance in the Town of Skanawan. Just after 2 a.m. a caller reported the incident in the 8000 block of Grundy Rd. The victim reported that a verbal argument had turned physical and Elizabeth A. Schwartz had pushed and kicked him. Schwartz was brought to the Lincoln County Jail where she was booked on a disorderly conduct charge. She was able to later post cash bond and be released.
A 50 year old Tomahawk man was taken into custody late Wednesday morning on a traffic charge. A deputy stopped a vehicle just before midnight on South Tomahawk Ave. at South Gate Drive in the City of Tomahawk for an equipment violation. When the deputy made contact with Randy S. Meinzer he detected an odor of alcohol and requested he perform field sobriety tests. As a result of those tests Meinzer was taken into custody on a first offense charge of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. Meinzer was later brought to the Lincoln County Jail where he was released Thursday morning when he was sober.
A Merrill woman was injured and a second driver was cited after a deputy witnessed a two vehicle crash just before 8 a.m. Friday morning in the Town of Merrill. According to the deputy’s report a vehicle being driven by 59 year old Linda L. Osmitz was stopped to turn onto US Hwy 51 at County Rd K when she was rear-ended by a vehicle being driven by 22 year old Jenah L. Carpentier of Merrill. Osmitz was transported by Merrill EMS to Aspirus Wausau Hospital where she was treated and released. Carpentier was cited for inattentive driving.
The Merrill Fire Department responded on Friday evening to a woodpile that started on fire in the Town of Scott. A passerby called 911 at 7:17 p.m. to report the fire on Fairview Rd. When a deputy arrived on the scene he found no structures in danger and the fire was not suspicious. Neighbors were going to inform the homeowner when they returned home.
A 44 year old Thorp man is in the Lincoln County Jail after leading a deputy on a short high speed chase Friday evening. The deputy was running radar on US Hwy 51 north of County Rd J at Irma when a vehicle being driven by Gary L. Hempleman passed him going 84 MPH in the 65 MPH zone. The deputy pulled out to stop Hempleman to address the speeding violation but instead of stopping Hempleman turned east onto County Rd V and accelerated to over 90 MPH. When Hempleman reached the intersection of County Rd V and County Rd H he braked but was not able to stop for the stop sign, his vehicle continued through the intersection onto Chase Hill Drive where it crashed into the ditch. Hempleman was brought to the Lincoln County Jail where he was booked on the felony charge of fleeing. Hempleman was also cited for two counts of speeding, reckless driving, driving left of center and for failing to obey a stop sign. He had a bond hearing on Monday in Lincoln County Court.
A 24 year old Tomahawk man remains in critical but stable condition at Aspirus Wausau Hospital after a one vehicle crash Saturday morning in the Town of Bradley. Just before 7 a.m. a cell 911 call reported a vehicle rolled over on State Rd 86 near West Kraft Rd west of Tomahawk. According to the deputy’s report, Dustyn T. Duplayee was traveling west on State Rd 86 when his vehicle left the roadway, traveled in the ditch for over 200 feet before striking a culvert and going airborne. Duplayee was trapped in his vehicle and had to be extricated by the Tomahawk Fire Department. He was taken by Tomahawk EMS Paramedics to Ministry Sacred Heart Hospital to meet the Spirit II Helicopter. Duplayee was flown to the trauma center at Aspirus Wausau Hospital where he was in the ICU as of Sunday evening. Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash. The investigating deputy is awaiting the results of a blood test and will most likely cite Duplayee for a second offense of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.
A mix of winter weather created problems on the roadways Sunday morning. Warm temperatures and light snow gave way to mist and some freezing rain causing several crashes on US Hwy 51. The first incident was reported on US Hwy 51 at County Rd K in Irma at 8:09 a.m. In the next two hours four more crashes and two slide off’s were checked including a roll over south of County Rd S. Most of the incidents occurred on US Hwy 51 from Irma north. None of the incidents involved any injury and the Lincoln County Highway Department worked quickly to clear up the roadways.
Five people struck deer this past week. Also a cow was struck Sunday in the Town of Pine River. A 32 year old Merrill man was not injured but his vehicle was damaged after the incident occurred on County Rd W near Alpine Rd just after 7 p.m. After the cow was struck, it tipped over onto the hood of the vehicle causing additional damage. Both the cow and the vehicle left the scene under their own power.