Law Enforcement

■ May 19 - Officers were dispatched to a residence in reference to a disturbance. The complainant said their neighbor was outside with a baseball bat, threatening their life. The officer arrived and observed the individual at the passenger’s side of their car, which was parked in the driveway. The individual was reaching inside the car door, but shut the door when the officer approached. The individual was animated and spoke loudly as they interacted with the officer. The officer was aware of the individual using drugs in the past and suspected that they were using again.

The officer asked if the individual was okay. The individual said everything was fine except that someone had stolen their keys. The individual declined the officer’s help in finding their keys and attempted to walk away as the officer tried questioning them about the incident.

The officer spoke with the individual’s father while a Marathon County deputy stood with the individual. The father said the neighbor had called saying that his son was threatening them with a baseball bat. The individual yelled over towards their father, saying that it was hearsay. The father admitted that he had not been there.

The officer then spoke with the complainant who was visibly upset and fearful as they recalled the incident. The complainant said the individual had been walking around their residence, pounding on their door and yelling for them. The complainant was hesitant to answer the door as the individual had threatened them in the past. By the time they reached the door, the individual was walking back to their own house. The complainant called out to the individual, asking if they were okay, but the individual did not answer.

The complainant later saw the individual outside and asked if they needed help. The individual accused the complainant of pouring something in the gas tank of their motorcycle. The complainant told the individual that they had been gone all weekend and did not mess with the individual’s vehicles. The complainant said the individual was not right in the head anymore due to drug use. The individual yelled at the complainant to mind their own business or they’d kill them.

Shortly after that, the individual reached into their pants and pulled out what the complainant believed to be a gun and held it up in the air. The complainant went back into their house and locked all of their doors. Ten to 15 minutes later, they heard a pop, which made them believe the individual had fired a round. They called 911 and asked the individual’s father to make sure he was okay. The complainant said they did not feel safe in their own house as the individual could just come over and shoot them through a window.

After calling 911, the complainant saw the individual walking around the complainant’s driveway holding a baseball bat. The complainant did not think that the individual had damaged anything, but they were afraid that the individual would try to use it or threaten them with it if they went outside.

The officer spoke with the individual’s father again, who said he had not been home at the time. The neighbor had called him saying that his son was having another episode and mentioned being threatened. He said officers arrived less than two minutes after he did.

The father expressed concerns for his son’s recent decline in mental health and behavior. The father said he was fearful of his son and could not control him. The father acknowledged the son’s drug use and said he often did not sleep. He said his son’s behavior is only going to get worse if he does not receive help. The father was advised that a mental health professional would be contacted.

The father gave the officer permission to search the house for any weapons. Two rifles were located near large windows. One of the rifles was set up on a bipod facing the complainant’s residence. The father said his son pointed the rifles towards the windows to protect the property, as he believed someone would tamper with his motorcycle. Several more guns were confiscated, as well as a pipe and a plastic bag with marijuana.

The officer was made aware that the individual had two open cases through Clark County, both of which had bond conditions against possessing firearms, possessing or consuming controlled substances, and committing any other crimes. Charges of disorderly conduct, resisting an officer, misdemeanor bail jumping, recklessly endangering safety, possessing drug paraphernalia, and possession of THC were referred to the Clark County District Attorney’s Office.

■ May 22 - An officer took a fraud complaint from an individual who had been contacted by an unknown person. The complainant was told that they had been accused of fraud and they could pay it back with gift cards. The messenger asked for the complainant’s banking information so that they could send money for the complainant to purchase gift cards. The complainant provided the information and was sent $1,000, $1,400, and $2,000 over the next few days.

The complainant used the money to purchase gift cards and sent photos of the cards to the unknown person. The complainant purchased approximately $5,000 worth of gift cards with the money they received. The complainant was eventually told that this seemed like a scam, so they went to their bank and cancelled all of their accounts. The complainant believed they may have broken even with the money they were sent versus the money they spent on gift cards. The complainant was advised to block the number and come to the police station if they believed they were being scammed again.

■ May 23 - An officer took an animal bite report in Colby. The complainant said they were out for a walk when a bulldog jumped on them, scratching their left leg. The complainant said they put their hand down to push the dog away, and while doing so, they felt a nibble on their ring finger. The complainant showed the officer their finger and leg. The officer did not see any marks.

The officer went to the address where the incident had occurred. The officer met with the dog owner, who said their dog went into the road when the individual walked by. The owner heard the individual tell the dog to go away. The owner then called their dog back and assumed nothing had happened as the individual kept walking. The owner provided proof of vaccination. The officer observed the dog to be friendly while at the residence.

■ May 23 - An officer responded to a suspicious activity complaint at a Colby residence. The complainant said an unfamiliar vehicle pulled into their driveway, a male passenger got out, walked to their mailbox and went through the mail before returning it and leaving. The complainant did not think anything was taken. They said they had received mail in the past meant for someone else and eventually returned it to the post office. A male party had once come to the residence looking for a package and was sent to the post office. The complainant guessed it was the same male and wished for them to stop going through their mailbox.

The officer located the male and learned that he was looking for a package that had been delivered. The male said his mail had been sent to that address in Colby by mistake before and thought it may have been sent there again. The officer said the mail would be returned to the post office if it was received in error. The officer warned the male not to go through other people’s mailboxes, and advised him to speak with the post office. The officer informed the complainant about their findings and advised them to contact police again if the behavior continued.

■ May 23 - A traffic stop was conducted on a vehicle traveling 90 mph on Highway 29 in a posted 65 mph zone. The officer met with the driver and asked how fast they believed they were traveling. The driver estimated 80 mph and said they believed the speed limit was 70 mph. A records check returned with a full extradition warrant through Minnesota for theft with a bond amount of $5,000. The driver was unaware of the warrant and did not know why they would have one. They asked the officer to contact their spouse to see if they could post the bond. The spouse was also unaware and confused by the warrant. They were advised that the driver would be at the Clark County Jail.

The officer was later advised that Hennepin County, Minn. had asked that the driver be held without bond. The driver and their spouse were informed of the update. The driver was taken to the Clark County Jail and issued a citation for speeding.

■ May 24 - An officer received a suspicious person report from an Abbotsford resident. The complainant said they were home alone when they heard a knock on their door and heard the door open. The complainant got up to check who was there and heard the door shut. Through the window they saw a male jogging away, holding something rectangular in his hands. The complainant thought it may have been a box or package. The male wandered around neighboring properties before walking to a different residence. The complainant said the male looked to be 16 to18 years old and was wearing an olive green long sleeved shirt with dark colored jeans or sweatpants. The complainant had seen the male one other time in the past, but did not know his identity.

The complainant wasn’t sure if the male had actually entered their home and was not sure if the unannounced visit was malicious or a simple error. They said they would call if they saw the male again. None of the neighbors matched the description of the male.

■ May 24 - An officer was informed of a cat bite that had occurred at an Abbotsford residence. The officer was told that the cat owner’s son was playing with the cat when it bit him on the top of the head. The officer observed a mark on the son’s head. The owner said the cat was not vaccinated. The officer provided the owner with an animal bite form and requested they return the form to the police station once it was completed.

■ May 25 - An officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling 63 mph in a posted 45 mph zone on STH 13 in Colby. The officer observed the vehicle turn into the parking lot of a nearby establishment, then attempt to make a multipoint turn to travel back out of the parking lot. The officer activated their emergency lights and watched the driver continue trying to complete the turn without acknowledging their presence.

The officer met with the driver and advised them of the reason for the stop. The driver immediately threw their hands in the air and appeared displeased. The officer observed the driver to have glossy eyes and could smell alcohol in the vehicle. The officer asked how much the driver had to drink. The driver stated two.

A records check of the driver returned with a valid license, with one prior drunk driving conviction. The officer returned to the driver and asked them to step out of the vehicle. The driver did not. The driver said they would walk home and asked the officer to give them a break. The driver stayed in the vehicle for almost a minute before eventually stepping out and consenting to field sobriety tests.

The driver refused to do a preliminary breath test and again asked the officer for a break. The officer placed the driver under arrest for operating while under the influence (second). The driver was transported to at hospital in Neillsville for an evidentiary chemical test of their blood before being taken to the Clark County Jail.

■ May 25 - An officer was informed of an individual who had been asked to leave a bar in Colby due to extreme intoxication and was now in the driver’s seat of a running vehicle. The officer met with the individual and asked for their name. The driver provided an alias the officer later learned was incorrect. A records check based on the false name came back with no results. The officer asked if the driver would be willing to do field sobriety tests to make sure they were safe to drive. The driver said they were not going to drive and were waiting for a friend. The officer informed the driver that they had the vehicle running earlier and asked again if they would do the tests. The driver agreed. Several clues of intoxication were observed. The driver attempted to do the walk and turn test again. The driver was placed under arrest for operating while under the influence. They were issued citations.

The officer later showed an image of the driver to a Clark County deputy who correctly identified the individual. The driver’s records came back with a prior drunk driving conviction, a 0.02 blood-alcohol restriction, and an ignition interlock requirement. The officer did not observe an interlock installed. The driver received new citations for operating while under the influence (second) and failure to install an ignition interlock. Charges of resisting/obstructing an officer were requested.

■ May 25 - An officer received a report of a found dog. The complainant said the dog had been walking around their residence in Abbotsford all day. The dog was taken to the city kennel until the owner came forward.

On May 27, an officer received a report of a theft that had occurred at a Colby residence. The complainant said one of their dogs had been stolen from their property. The complainant was informed that the dog had been found in Abbotsford and was at the kennel. The officer advised the complainant to come to the police station to get their dog and report the incident to a Marathon County deputy. Since their dog had been stolen, the complainant was advised that they would not receive a citation. The dog was released to the complainant.