Thursday afternoon, officers responded to a suspicious activity report at a local fuel station. Upon arrival, officers met with station staff who had reported individuals panhandling for money in the parking lot on Wednesday morning. However when officers arrived Wednesday, the individuals had left the station. However upon officer arrival following Thursday’s complaint, the vehicle and individuals in question were back at the station and panhandling once again, allegedly advising customers of “being on disability.”
According to officer notes, upon pulling into the station to make contact with the individuals, they departed the station in a blue passenger car. Upon attempting to stop the vehicle, the vehicle instead accelerated at a high rate of speed on south CTH K before stopping near CTH Q.
The driver, identified as 44-year-old Karen Friday, and her passenger, identified as 50-year-old Neal Augustine, were found to have an open drug related case in Marathon County, prohibiting both parties from having contact with each other.
With the assistance of the Merrill Police Department’s Drug Recognition Expert, Friday was found to be exhibiting symptoms of impairment from recent drug use and was taken into custody on a Felony-5th Offense charge of Operating While under the Influence. Upon a search of Friday’s vehicle, items of drug paraphernalia were discovered as well as an “industrial-sized” syringe depository and a ground-up substance suspected to be narcotic medication. Drug possession charges may follow pending state crime lab test results of the substance found in Friday’s vehicle.
Friday was later transported to the Lincoln County Jail.