One person received minor injuries after a one vehicle crash on Tuesday afternoon in the Town of Tomahawk. At 12:44 a.m. a 911 call reported a vehicle had left the roadway and crashed on State Rd 86 west of Sunwall Rd. According to the Trooper who investigated the crash, a vehicle being driven by 65 year old Gerald C. Swenson of Brantwood left the roadway and struck a tree after Swenson fell asleep while driving. Swenson’s wife and passenger, 62 year old Sandra L. Swenson, was injured in the crash but she refused medical transport from Tomahawk EMS. The Trooper cited Gerald Swenson for inattentive driving. The Tomahawk Fire Department assisted at the scene.
Deputies are seeking information after a Town of Pine River woman found an intruder in her home on Pine Dells Rd on Tuesday afternoon. Just after 12:30 the woman reported she had just gotten out of the shower when she found the man inside of the house. He claimed he thought he was at a friend’s house and was looking for gas to fill his snowmobile. After the suspect left, the woman found snowy footprints around the house going into bedrooms along with a change jar and cigarettes missing. Deputies immediately responded to the area and began checking nearby properties and the Rec. Deputy later followed tracks on his snowmobile. Deputies were not able to locate the suspect but found a few other properties he had stopped at and checked doors but did not make entry. The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to the situation at the same time, they later reported a resident on County Rd W returned home to find a window removed and change and jewelry stolen and late Tuesday evening a resident on County Rd Q in the Town of Scott reported coming home and finding a change jar missing and snowmobile tracks in his yard. The suspect’s sled was not observed but he was dressed in a black snowmobile suit with white trim. The witness told a deputy he might have been consuming alcohol as well. If you have any information on this burglary you are asked to call the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 715-536-6272, callers may also contact Crime Stoppers at 715-536-3726. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward. 13004659
Two people were injured after a two vehicle crash Tuesday evening in the Town of Merrill. The crash occurred at 9:45 p.m. on State Rd 107 north of Council Grounds Rd. According to the report, a vehicle being driven by 16 year old Jimmi R. Weyneth of Merrill lost control and struck a vehicle being driven by 52 year old Deborah K. Geier of Merrill. Both women were transported by Merrill EMS to Ministry Good Samaritan Health Center for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The Merrill Police Department assisted at the scene until the highway was cleared and re-opened.
A 19 year old man originally from Milwaukee may be facing an additional charge after a fight on Friday in the Lincoln County Jail. The suspect was previously remanded to the Lincoln County Jail after being charged with battery by inmate while serving a term at Lincoln Hills School. According to the deputy’s report, the suspect and victim were arguing about professional basketball teams during lunch time on Friday when the suspect struck the victim causing injury. Another charge of battery by prisoner will most likely be referred to the Lincoln County District Attorney after reports are completed.
A 25 year old Langlade County woman was taken into custody Friday afternoon after deputies responded to a reckless driver complaint. An off duty police officer reported a vehicle that was traveling north on US Hwy 51 was all over the roadway. Deputies caught up to the vehicle after it exited at State Rd 64 and stopped it on State Rd 17 north of County Rd G. Robyn K. Gravitter of Pearson was placed through field sobriety tests and taken into custody on a first offense charge of operating a motor vehicle while impaired. No alcohol was detected but an officer from the Merrill Police Department who is specially trained in recognizing people under the influence of narcotics also evaluated Gravitter to confirm the impairment. Gravitter was later released to a responsible party.
Two men from Rothschild were assisted Saturday morning and one was later cited after a 911 call reported a man had fallen into the Prairie River north of Merrill. Deputies responded to Prairie Rd off of County Rd C when a witness reported seeing a man across the river from his cabin fall into the water. The victim was not in danger but despite his friend’s help was having trouble getting out of the woods. The Rec. Deputy responded to the scene and was able to use his snowmobile to ferry the two men out of the woods. There, a warden from the DNR waiting and cited one of the men for fishing without a license.
The Town of Russell Fire Department was called out Saturday afternoon after a fire alarm sounded at a Town of Harrison home. At 1:17 p.m. an alarm company notified the Sheriff’s Office that a fire alarm was sounding at a residence showing a heat alarm in an outbuilding on Long Beau Ridge. When a deputy and firefighters arrived on the scene, they found the homeowner was using a heat lamp in a garage and there was no fire. Firefighters returned to their station in less than an hour’s time.
A 17 year old Tomahawk teen was injured Saturday afternoon after a snowmobile crash in the Town of Rock Falls. The seventeen year old was traveling on Greil Rd south of Woodchuck Lane when his sled was rear-ended by a second snowmobile being driven by his 16 year old brother. The injured teen refused medical transport from the Tomahawk Ambulance that responded to the scene and the Rec. Deputy investigated the crash.
Two men were cited and a third will be summonsed into court after the Rec. Deputy attempted to stop three snowmobiles early Sunday morning in the Town of Bradley. The three sleds were heading north just after 1 a.m. on the Hiawatha Trail when the Rec. Deputy observed them fail to stop at the stop sign at Muskellunge Lake Rd. The deputy got ahead of the trio and tried to stop them at the intersection of Robert’s Rd and activated his emergency lights as they approached the stop sign. The lead snowmobile accelerated and fled the scene of the stop. The other two snowmobiles did stop but one of them was trying to turn around possibly attempting to flee when the Rec. Deputy ran up and activated the kill switch on his motor. A 51 year old Mequon man and a 35 year old Fox Lake, IL man were placed through field sobriety tests and as a result they were both taken into custody for operating a snowmobile while intoxicated. Another deputy continued to monitor the trail and watched as a sled matching the description traveled at a high rate of speed south on the Hiawatha Trail without its lights on. A Tomahawk Police Officer tried to stop it when it entered the city but the driver turned around and headed back north again. Deputies eventually learned the three men were staying at a hotel in Tomahawk and went to that location. A sled matching the description was found in the parking lot still warm to the touch. The desk clerk confirmed the three men rented three rooms and when the deputies went to the room of the registered owner of the sled he denied even leaving the hotel that evening but could not explain why his snowmobile was still warm in the parking lot at 5:30 a.m. The 49 year old man from Wisconsin Rapids was taken into custody on a felony charge of fleeing an officer. While he was being transported to the Lincoln County Jail he started experiencing a medical problem and was brought to Ministry Good Samaritan Health Center. When doctors decided to admit him he was released from custody to be summonsed later on the felony charge. The Rec. Deputy indicated other citations will also be issued to the fleeing man.
A 57 year old Tomahawk man was injured Sunday after being struck by a tractor. According to the deputy who responded to the scene just before noon, the man was working on a tractor on County Rd E in the Town of Rock Falls; when he went to start the tractor it was in gear, it rolled onto him and over his chest. The victim was transported to Ministry Sacred Heart Hospital in Tomahawk by Tomahawk EMS. From there he was flown by the Spirit to the trauma center at Ministry St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield. The man was reported to be in stable condition.
Six people reported striking deer this past week and motorists are advised to use caution in the coming weeks. Disappearing snow not only allows the deer to become more active but also attracts them to open grass on the roadside.
Turkeys are also starting to become very active and one was struck this past week. A Merrill woman reported striking the bird on State Rd 17 at County Rd B on Wednesday night causing damage to her vehicle.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office has joined Face Book! Residents can find the page at www.facebook.com/lincoln.sheriff . It will be used to provide updates on activities around the Sheriff’s Office, profile the most wanted in Lincoln County and seek information on unsolved crimes. You don’t have to be a member of Face Book to view the page.