A 17-year-old Merrill man was arrested Tuesday morning on drug charges after a traffic stop in the Town of Merrill. A deputy in an unmarked car was traveling on a town road in the Town of Merrill when he witnessed a transaction between the man and a 15-year-old Merrill youth. The 17-year-old admitted to prior sales of drugs between the pair. He was taken into custody for possession of drug paraphernalia and will be referred to the Lincoln County District Attorney for charges related to the distribution of marijuana. The 16-year-old passenger in the vehicle has been referred to juvenile authorities for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and being a party to the crime of marijuana distribution. The 15-year-old who purchased the drug will also be referred to juvenile authorities.
A 29-year-old Tomahawk man was arrested Wednesday morning after deputies investigated a disturbance which began at a home in the Town of Harrison and continued on a highway in the Town of King. The victim told deputies the suspect tried striking her vehicle head on as they traveled in opposite vehicles on County Rd. D. The suspect was arrested for domestic disorderly conduct, criminal damage to property and for recklessly endangering safety.
With the fall election being just two months away, a reminder is being given that taking campaign signs is theft. A resident in Tomahawk complained that three signs supporting state wide candidates that were placed along the road on US Hwy. 8 were removed. The caller noted the signs at the same location supporting candidates from the opposing party remained in place after the theft. Sheriff Jaeger has previously stated that people caught stealing campaign signs will be charged with theft.
A traffic crash Friday night caused delays on State Rd. 17 in the Town of Russell for hours. The incident occurred north of County Rd. CCC at 4:40 p.m. when a pickup truck traveling north towing a camper trailer blew a tire causing the camper to roll over in the roadway and then off into the ditch. When the camper entered the ditch it was destroyed on impact. The occupants of the vehicle refused medical attention at the scene. Traffic on the roadway was slowed for over two and a half hours while the truck was removed. Deputies returned on Saturday as a salvage company used a clam truck to remove what was left of the camper. The town of Russell Fire Department assisted with traffic control and Town of Russell First Responders, Merrill Fire Department Ambulance and Oneida County Medic One also responded to the scene.
A deputy extinguished a vehicle fire late Friday night on US Hwy. 51. Just before 11 p.m. the deputy was on patrol near Lincoln Drive when he spotted a northbound Chevy truck that had smoke coming from it. When the vehicle was stopped the operator opened the hood and flames began shooting out of it. The deputy deployed his fire extinguisher to extinguish the flames. The Merrill Fire Department responded to the scene to check hot spots. Traffic on the highway was slowed for about 45 minutes while the vehicle was removed. No injuries were reported.
A 35-year-old Gleason man was arrested early Saturday morning on a warrant charge. Deputies went to a location off of First Avenue in the Town of Russell to check on a suspicious person. When the subject was located he tried to run from deputies but stopped when a deputy deployed a taser. The man was arrested on a charge of resisting an officer and for a warrant through the Wisconsin Department of Corrections for probation violation which was issued in February of 2017.
Nine people reported striking deer this past week along with two bears that were hit. A Merrill man struck a bear early Saturday morning on US Hwy. 51 near the State Rd. 64 exit and a Merrill woman struck a bear on State Rd. 17 in Bloomville late Sunday night.