Lincoln County Sheriff's Department reports

Firefighters from several agencies worked to put out a wild land fire last Monday in the Town of Harrison. Just after 1:30 p.m. a cell 911 call reported the fire which started as a log skidder catching fire off of Parrish Rd. Firefighters from the DNR along with the Town of Crescent originally responded to the call. After 3 p.m. Crescent Fire requested tanker trucks from the Town of Russell to assist. As Russell units responded to the mutual aid request Pine River firefighters moved a tanker up to cover Russell's service area. Russell firefighters returned to their station after 5 p.m.

A 28 year old Merrill woman was arrested and a 20 year old Merrill man will be referred to the district attorney after deputies investigated a reported fight at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery. Due to a structure fire in the city of Merrill, deputies responded to the report of a female chasing a male through the cemetery ground just before 7 p.m. When deputies arrived Brianna L. Elias was leaving the scene with the male, but deputies were able to determine that Elias became engaged in an argument with the male as they drove and she struck a concrete barrier as she entered the cemetery grounds. Elias was cited for operating after revocation, and brought to the Lincoln County Jail on a probation hold. Her passenger will be referred on an obstructing charge.

Deputies cited four underage drinkers after finding a party at a gravel pit late Friday night in the Town of Corning. Deputies responded to Bergman Rd. after a caller reported loud music and camping. The Town of Corning confirmed no one had permission to be on the property. The four will be cited for the offense but numerous people fled into the woods. Deputies were on the scene for over three hours.

An off duty supervisor from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office intervened, preventing an elderly Merrill woman from being scammed on Friday. The Lieutenant was standing in line behind the woman at the Merrill Wal-Mart when he overheard Wal-Mart staff trying to talk the woman out of purchasing a gift card to assist with a "lottery win." The deputy identified himself to the woman and asked her to explain her "winning." The woman advised she had been contacted by phone and told that she had won the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes. The caller told the woman to go to Wal-Mart and get a $499 Visa gift card and wait for further instructions. The Lieutenant explained to the woman she was being scammed and convinced her not to buy the gift card; but by Saturday the woman phoned the deputy and explained the phone callers were being very persistent and making threats. When the phone scammer called back later that afternoon an investigator from the Sheriff's Office and an officer from the Merrill Police Department were waiting for the call. The caller hung up as soon as the investigator identified himself.

A 32 year old Merrill man was arrested Saturday afternoon after deputies responded to a possible disturbance in the Town of Corning. At 4:38 p.m. a cell 911 call reported the incident on Greendale Drive. When deputies arrived they learned a verbal argument had taken place but no crimes were committed. However after running a check on Nicholas D. Young a warrant for contempt of court through the Marathon County Sheriff was located. Young was brought to the Lincoln County Jail where he was able to post bond and be released.

A 27 year old Milwaukee man staying in Tomahawk was arrested Saturday evening on a warrant through the Wisconsin Department of Corrections for parole violation. Corrections officials had been looking for Devonte D. Williams since mid May after he violated terms of his parole. The warrant advised law enforcement to use caution due to Williams' violent history. When deputies went to a home on West Leather Ave. in Tomahawk on a tip Williams fled to an upstairs bathroom and barricaded himself inside threatening that he had a gun. Additional units from the Tomahawk Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol and DNR arrived to assist. Williams was eventually convinced to surrender and deputies were unable to find a gun. Williams is being held in the Lincoln County Jail.

A 63 year old Tomahawk man was taken into custody late Sunday evening after a traffic stop near the Tomahawk city limit. A deputy stopped a vehicle being driven by Girad L. Roberge after he observed it cross the center line. Roberge was placed through field sobriety tests and taken into custody for a first offense of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

The number of car deer crashes has remained steady with eleven being reported this past week. A turkey crash was also reported. On Friday an Ogema man reported striking the bird on County Rd. M. His vehicle had to be towed from the scene.