A 32-year-old Merrill man was arrested Tuesday afternoon on warrants that had been issued by multiple agencies. Deputies received a tip that the wanted man would be going to a home in the Town of Bradley off of County Rd. U early Tuesday afternoon. Deputies, with the assistance of Tomahawk Police Officers, monitored the area and spotted the man going to a home around 2 p.m. The suspect was later found hiding in the basement of the home and was taken into custody on warrants through Lincoln County for three counts of possession of methamphetamine, an Oneida County warrant for contempt of court for failing to appear on a child support matter, and through the Wisconsin Department of Corrections for probation violation. The man was brought to the Lincoln County Jail where he is being held on a cash bond.
A 20-year-old Merrill man was arrested late Wednesday evening on a felony charge of theft. Law enforcement had been searching for the man after a theft was reported Monday morning in the Town of Merrill and at a Town of Rock Falls cabin.
Deputies need your help in solving the theft of fishing equipment from a Town of Merrill boat landing. On Tuesday two men reported that they were on a guided fishing trip on the Wisconsin River. When they were completed they were loading up their equipment into the vehicle but due to a miscommunication several items were left on the shore at the Lokemoen landing. Three poles in all were reported stolen, a St. Croix Long Ranger blue in color pole with a dark green reel, a Musky Innovation Magnum Bull Dog, black with dark green reel, and a St. Croix Big Nasty blue colored pole with silver reel. The total cost of the three poles is $2,500. It may be possible that someone picked up the poles thinking they were lost or forgotten not knowing the value of the items. If you know anything about these missing fishing poles you are asked to call the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 715-536-6272. Callers may also call Crime Stoppers of Lincoln County at 715-536-3726. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.
A 25-year-old Merrill man was arrested Wednesday afternoon after a traffic stop in the City of Merrill. At 12:45 p.m., a deputy stopped a vehicle on Lake Street at East 1st Street for an equipment violation. A check on the passenger showed he was wanted by the Marathon County Sheriff for a criminal traffic charge. When the deputy took the man into custody he located a pipe which is commonly used to smoke marijuana. The man was brought to the Lincoln County Jail and booked on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. At a bond hearing on Thursday he was released on a signature bond and transported to the Marathon County Jail.
A 46-year-old Almond man was injured after a one vehicle crash on Thursday morning in the Town of Corning. Just after 9 a.m., a caller reported that a vehicle had left the roadway on State Rd. 64, struck a power pole and then struck a house. The driver told a deputy he might have fallen asleep as he traveled west on State Rd. 64 near Mink Road. Corning firefighters checked the home and contacted Wisconsin Public Service to check the utilities. The driver refused medical transport.
A Lincoln County Deputy along with a member of the Marathon County Bomb Squad assisted a resident of the Town of Rock Falls on Friday afternoon after he found a live grenade. The resident phoned the Sheriff’s Office around 1:30 p.m. and reported that he had just purchased the property and while cleaning the garage he found what appeared to be a hand grenade. The Marathon County Deputy confirmed it was a live grenade and was able to secure the item for future disposal.
A 25-year-old Tomahawk man was arrested Friday evening on traffic charges after he passed an unmarked patrol car in the Town of Bradley. A deputy was traveling north on Tannery Road when a motorcycle passed him at a high rate of speed. Radar showed the motorcycle was traveling at 83 MPH in the 55 MPH zone. When the driver was stopped, a check showed his driver’s license was revoked and he was required to have an ignition interlock device on any vehicle he operates. Further, the man did not have insurance on his vehicle. The driver was brought to the Lincoln County Jail where he was booked on charges of operating after revocation and failing to have an IID device. He was also cited for speeding before he was able to post a cash bond to be released.
Two Marathon County residents were arrested Saturday evening after a report was received of a disturbance at Council Ground State Park in the Town of Merrill. As a deputy responded to the area, Merrill Police Officers watched for the suspect vehicle after the incident was reported just before 7 p.m. Minutes later, a Merrill Officer saw the vehicle leaving the park and stopped it. The occupants admitted getting into a verbal dispute at the boat landing. A check showed the male, a 32-year-old Schofield man, was on probation and out on bond both of which had a rule that he could not have contact with the female. The female, a 43-year-old Wausau woman, was also out on bond. She was arrested on charges of bail jumping and encouraging probation violation while the male was arrested for bail jumping and probation violation. Both remained in the Lincoln County Jail awaiting initial court appearances on Monday.
A 19-year-old Merrill man was injured after a two vehicle crash Sunday evening in the Town of Pine River. At 6:48 p.m. cell 911 callers reported a two vehicle crash with one vehicle flipping over in the road on State Rd. 64 at County Rd. W. Deputies investigating the crash learned the 19-year-old was traveling east when a vehicle being driven by an 82-year-old Wausau man pulled out in front of him, striking the vehicle in the rear and causing it to lose control and flip over. The 19-year-old was able to get out of the vehicle on his own. He was transported to Ministry Good Samaritan Health Center with non-life threatening injuries. The 82-year-old man was not injured but he was cited for failure to yield. The Pine River Fire Department and First Responders assisted at the scene. It took over an hour to clear the scene and get traffic flowing again on State Rd. 64.
A 54-year-old Wisconsin Rapids man suffered serious injuries after a one vehicle rollover Saturday evening in the Town of Bradley. At 8:52 p.m., cell 911 callers reported a vehicle had left the roadway and crashed on County Rd. CC at Peaceful Valley Road. According to the deputy’s report, the vehicle was traveling east on County Rd. CC when the vehicle drifted off onto the shoulder of the road. The driver overcorrected causing his vehicle to flip over two to three times. The man was transported by Tomahawk EMS to Ministry Sacred Heart Hospital. From there he was flown by the MedEvac Helicopter to Aspirus Wausau Hospital where he remained in serious but stable condition. At passenger in the vehicle, a 23-year-old Wisconsin Rapids man, was transported to Ministry Sacred Heart for non-life threating injuries. Oneida County Med 4 and the Tomahawk Fire Department assisted at the scene.
Deputies reported a large amount of traffic this past weekend but few problems with it. Thursday night the traffic started becoming very heavy on US Hwy. 51. Southbound traffic on Sunday started to pick up in the afternoon and was quite heavy throughout the early evening hours. Twenty-five complaints were received during the week regarding reckless driving, mostly on US Hwy. 51. Deputies also checked on 29 stalled vehicles on the side of the roadway.
The Recreation Deputy reported heavy traffic on the waterways of the county, along with the ATV trails. He was out throughout the holiday weekend insuring safe travels on both. Very few problems were noted but a few boaters were cited for not having the proper number of flotation devices, operating recklessly or in no wake zones. The Recreation Deputy also reported the county’s campgrounds were mostly full throughout the weekend but no problems were reported at any of them.
The number of car deer crashes is down with only eight being reported this past week. Other incidents involving animals included a Merrill woman striking a bear early Wednesday morning on US Hwy. 51 near Mile Marker 211. The bear estimated to weigh 125 pounds was killed and claimed the next morning. On Wednesday evening a Merrill woman struck a turkey on State Rd. 64 at Sunset Drive in the Town of Scott.