Deputies need your help as they investigate a hit and run crash that most likely took place last weekend in the Town of Bradley. On Monday afternoon, Wisconsin Public Service notified the Sheriff’s Office that one of their utility poles had been snapped off on Tannery Rd. south of US Hwy 8. The deputy who investigated felt the crash most likely took place over the weekend due to the hardened snow that now filled the ditch at the crash scene. According to the deputy’s report, the vehicle was traveling north on Tannery Rd. when it left the roadway and sheared off the pole, damaging a power box in the process. The vehicle will most likely have extensive front end damage. If you have any information on this hit and run crash, you are asked to call the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 715-453-5747 or 715-536-6272. Callers can also call Crime Stoppers at 715-536-3726. Calls to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.
A 57-year-old Merrill man escaped injury, but over 1,000 people were left without power after an early morning crash in the Town of Corning. Just before 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, a cell 911 call reported that a pickup truck had left the roadway in the 7000 block of Joe Snow Rd. and struck a power pole. The driver told a deputy that he was traveling east on Joe Snow Rd. when he swerved to miss a deer and went off the roadway causing the crash. A crew from WPS warned that at least one of the wires that had come to rest on top of the truck was still live. The driver had freed himself prior to deputies’ arrival. Deputies stayed on the scene until just before 5:30, but it took until after 9 a.m. for power to be restored. WPS reported 1,200 customers were affected by the outage. No citations were issued by the investigating deputy.
A 29-year-old Irma man was arrested Wednesday morning on a warrant charge. The deputy assigned to security at the Lincoln County Court House took the man into custody just before noon. The man had a scheduled court appearance for a divorce hearing but a check showed he was wanted by the Marathon County Sheriff on a felony warrant for theft and bail jumping. The suspect was brought to the Lincoln County Jail before being transferred back to Marathon County.
A 35-year-old Phillips man was arrested Wednesday afternoon on several charges after a deputy investigated a theft in the Town of Somo. Just after 3 p.m., the Tripoli gas station reported a customer had come in and pumped gas but left without paying for it. The investigating deputy reviewed the video tape and noted the driver was the same person who stole gas from the gas station in January and at the time was arrested for theft, obstructing an officer and felony bail jumping. At the time of his January arrest, the suspect was released from jail after a Lincoln County Judge set a $250 cash bond which he posted. After the theft on Wednesday, a Price County deputy went to the man’s home and took him into custody. He was brought to the Lincoln County Jail where he was charged with theft, along with two felony and one misdemeanor counts of bail jumping. At a bond hearing on Thursday, the man was released by a Lincoln County Judge on a signature bond.
Three people were taken into custody after a traffic stop led to a drug seizure. On Wednesday evening, deputies and Merrill Police Officers were conducting a joint enforcement effort when they stopped a vehicle being driven by a 38-year-old Merrill man. Due to several indicators, the Tomahawk Police Department K9 unit was called to the scene and after walking around, it indicated the vehicle contained drugs. A search was conducted and officers found marijuana and prescription medication. The driver was brought to the Lincoln County Jail where he was charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. He was able to post bond later that evening and be released. A passenger, a 36-year-old Merrill man, was charged with possession of marijuana and misdemeanor bail jumping. At a bond hearing on Thursday, a judge set a cash bond of $100 which the suspect has been unable to post and he remains jailed. A second passenger, a 29-year-old Tomahawk woman, was arrested on charges of probation violation, obstructing an officer, bail jumping and possession of a prescription drug without a prescription. She too received a $100 cash bond and she remains jailed on the probation hold. The vehicle the group was riding in was held for further searching. As deputies prepared a search warrant, the owner of the vehicle volunteered to have his vehicle searched again. During that search, a bag containing numerous individual bags of marijuana was found hidden where one of the previously arrested passengers was sitting. Additional charges will most likely be sought as this investigation continues.
A 24-year-old Merrill man was arrested Thursday afternoon after a deputy investigated a vehicle in the ditch. A cell caller reported that a vehicle had left the roadway on Nelson Ave. near County Rd K in the Town of Birch near Irma. A deputy arrived on the scene a short time later and recognized the driver and passenger and requested the Tomahawk Police Department K9 unit respond to the scene. When the dog alerted on the vehicle, a search was conducted and deputies located several items of drug paraphernalia including needles. The driver was taken into custody and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, two misdemeanor and two felony counts of bail jumping. The passenger, a 21-year-old Park Falls woman, was arrested on possession of drug paraphernalia. Both were brought to the Lincoln County Jail and held for a bond hearing on Friday. The passenger was released on a signature bond while the driver was given a $1,500 cash bond which he has been unable to post and remains in the jail.
The Town of Russell Fire Department responded on Thursday evening after a chimney fire was reported at a home on County Rd CCC. At 11:24 p.m., a cell 911 call reported a fire in the home in the 700 block of County Rd CCC. Russell Firefighters requested assistance from the Town of Pine River Fire Department but later canceled the request after a deputy and firefighters arrived to find the fire was contained to the chimney. Firefighters were on the scene for about half an hour, no injuries or damage was reported.
Three females were taken into custody after a reckless driving complaint led to a drug arrest Friday afternoon. A cell caller reported that a pickup truck heading north on US Hwy 51 near Irma was traveling at a high rate of speed and had almost ran the reporting party off the roadway. A deputy caught up to the truck on US Hwy 51 near US Hwy 8 outside of Tomahawk. When contact was made with the three occupants of the vehicle, they provided false names and dates of birth leading deputies to believe all of the females were 15 years of age. While the deputy was speaking with the driver, he detected the odor of marijuana and requested the Tomahawk Police Department K9 unit respond to the scene. The dog alerted on the vehicle, prompting a search by deputies. The occupants exited the vehicle and a deputy noticed a large bulge in the front of the pants of a 15-year-old passenger and asked her what it was, she replied it was cocaine and proceeded to remove a large baggie containing a white powdery substance. The substance, which later tested positive for cocaine, was found to be 37 grams of the drug with an estimated street value of just under $4,000. Once the trio was brought to the Sheriff’s Office, it was learned one of the passengers was in fact 18 years old. The woman, from Argonne, WI, was booked into the Lincoln County Jail on charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, distribution of drugs to a person under the age of 18, obstructing an officer, using an underage person to aid in committing a crime, and possession of drug paraphernalia. A second passenger, a 15-year-old from Port Edwards, was sent to a secure juvenile detention facility with charges of obstructing an officer and party to the crime of possession of cocaine with intent to deliver. The 15-year-old driver, who was from Black River Falls, was also sent to the secure juvenile detention facility. She faces charges of obstructing and she was cited for driving without a valid driver’s license. The 18-year-old had a bond hearing Monday in Lincoln County Court. Deputies also seized the 2013 Ford F250.
A 39-year-old Tomahawk man was taken into custody and cited after the Rec. Deputy stopped a snowmobile that was driving through SARA Park in Tomahawk. The Rec. Deputy observed the snowmobile operating in the park off the trail at 1:20 a.m. When contact was made with the driver, he showed signs of impairment and was asked to perform field sobriety tests. As a result of those tests, he was taken into custody for operating a snowmobile while intoxicated. The driver was later released to a responsible party.
A 31-year-old Wausau woman was arrested early Sunday morning on a warrant charge. A deputy stopped a vehicle on US Hwy 51 near County Rd C just after 3 a.m. Sunday after he noted it traveling at a very slow rate of speed and the registration showed the owner did not have a valid driver’s license. The registered owner was the driver of the vehicle and she was cited for driving while suspended. A check also showed she was wanted by the Marathon County Sheriff for failing to pay a fine. The woman was brought to the Lincoln County Jail where she was able to post bond and be released.
Only two car deer crashes were reported this last week, up slightly from last week’s total.