Lincoln County Sheriff's reports

An 80 year old Merrill man was injured after a one vehicle crash early Tuesday morning. A deputy came across the crash on Hillside Drive just west of Lake Pesobic Rd in the Town of Merrill at 12:20 a.m. Robert J. Krueger told the deputy a medical condition may have led to him leaving the road and crashing his vehicle. He was transported by Merrill EMS to Ministry Good Samaritan Health Center for treatment of his injuries.

Deputies recovered one stolen vehicle and are searching for another after a Merrill man reported his vehicle stolen Tuesday morning. The Town of Pine River man reported his grey 1998 Ford Explorer was stolen overnight from his garage on County Rd P. The vehicle, which has blue stripes, had the keys left inside of it prior to the theft. On Thursday a Town of Pine River man reported a suspicious vehicle off the roadway on County Line Rd near Cain Creek Rd. A check on the license plate on the red 2002 Ford Escort showed it was stolen from the city of Wausau. The vehicle had severe damage and had to be towed from the scene. Anyone who saw any suspicious activity or knows anything about these stolen vehicles should contact the Sheriff's Office at 715-536-6272 or call Crime Stoppers of Lincoln County at 715-536-3726. Callers to Crime Stoppers may remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.

Deputies and the Merrill Fire Department responded to a small grass fire Tuesday afternoon in the Town of Merrill. A 911 call reported the incident in the 3000 block of Pier St. at 4:52 p.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A 52 year old Merrill woman will be cited for obstructing after a deputy investigated a dog bite complaint in the Town of Rock Falls. A deputy responded to Ministry Good Samaritan Health Center after the woman sought treatment. She told the deputy that she tried to chase away a dog that was chasing her cat and got bit in the process. When the deputy went in search of the dog he learned that the woman made up the claim after being bitten by her own dog. The woman later admitted to lying about the strange dog as she feared her dog would be euthanized if it was a known biter. As required by law the animal will be checked during a 10-day period by a veterinarian for signs of rabies, but will not be put down.

A 22 year old resident of the Lincoln County Jail is facing a felony charge after an altercation Tuesday evening. The suspect got to an argument with a cellmate about crumbs left in the other's bunk which turned physical and the suspect struck the victim multiple times. The suspect who lists an address of Good Hope, WI, is currently staying in the Lincoln County Jail due to overcrowding at another county. He will face a felony charge of battery by prisoner.

The Town of Pine River Fire Department and the DNR responded to a forest fire Thursday afternoon. A cell 911 call reported the fire on County Rd P west of County Rd X at 1:35 p.m. When firefighters and a deputy arrived they found over an acre burning in the woods. Firefighters were on the scene for over three hours and the DNR continued mop up on Friday. The cause of the fire is not known.

A 25 year old Merrill man was taken into custody on a traffic charge after a deputy stopped a suspicious vehicle in the Town of Scott. The deputy saw the vehicle pull into the parking lot of a closed business on Tree Lane and leave abruptly when he saw the marked patrol unit. The deputy stopped the man to investigate his actions and noted the odor of an intoxicant. Dylan B. Winters was asked to perform field sobriety tests, and as a result he was taken into custody on a first offense of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. He was also cited for operating without proof of insurance before being released to a responsible party.

A 26 year old Merrill man was arrested early Friday morning after deputies responded to a disturbance in the Town of Merrill. Just after 1:30 a.m. a 911 call reported the incident on ROW Rd. Deputies learned that Joshua Sammons caused a disturbance prompting the 911 call. Sammons was brought to the Lincoln County Jail where he was booked on a disorderly conduct charge. He was later released after posting a cash bond.

The Merrill Fire Department along with a deputy responded to a car fire on Friday morning in the Town of Merrill. A 911 call reported the fire on Doering Drive at 9:07 a.m. When a deputy arrived on the scene he found the van fully engulfed but not threatening any structures. The Merrill Fire Department extinguished the fire.

A 64 year old Rhinelander man was cited for disorderly conduct after a deputy investigated a complaint on Saturday in the Town of Bradley. A business owner on US Hwy 8 reported a vehicle pulled into the parking lot of the closed business after 2 p.m. on Saturday. The driver exited the vehicle, went up and tried the front door which was locked. The suspect then returned to his vehicle but stopped and urinated on the side of the building. The driver fled when the owner confronted him but was stopped a short time later on US Hwy 8 by an Oneida County deputy who was on the look-out for him. The man admitted to stopping at the business but denied urinating. The deputy had already viewed security video of the act and cited the man for the offense.

The number of car deer crashes has increased and the crashes are becoming more violent. Several vehicles had to be towed after striking deer this past week; with most of the crashes taking place after 6 p.m. Another bear was also struck. On Tuesday night a Park Falls man reported striking the bear on US Hwy 51 near Lincoln Drive. The man had minimal damage to his pick-up truck but the bear had to be put down.