FOR THE PERIOD: JULY 14-AUG. 18, 2024
On 07/18/2024 deputies responded to an address on Bittersweet Ln. in the Town of Pine River to attempt to locate a male subject who had an active warrant through Wisconsin Probation and Parole. Deputies were granted permission to enter the property in an attempt to locate the wanted person. Upon entering the house, the deputies observed the wanted subject, a 45-year-old man from Merrill retreat to a bedroom of the house. Deputies followed the subject and took him into custody. The subject was resistive and uncooperative with the deputies. The deputies took him to Aspirus Merrill Hospital for medical clearance prior to taking him to the Lincoln County Jail (LCJ). The subject remained uncooperative throughout the process.
On 07/19/2024 a deputy on patrol attempted to stop a vehicle that he had observed traveling at a high rate of speed. The vehicle refused to stop right away and then pulled into an address on Snow Hill Rd. in the Town of Corning. When making contact with the driver, a 24-year-old man from Merrill, it was learned that his driver’s license was revoked and that he didn’t have a court-ordered ignition interlock device installed on his car. The driver was taken into custody for the two violations and transported to the LCJ.
On 07/20/2024 a deputy on patrol observed a vehicle leaving a gas station on E. Main St. in the City of Merrill that he recognized as a vehicle of interest by the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office (ONSO) for its involvement in a shoplifting case. The deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle and identified the driver as a 21-year-old woman from Madison. The ONSO requested that the woman be taken into custody. After the arrest, LISO deputies did locate items in the vehicle that had been stolen. The subject was transported to the Oneida County line where she was turned over to their investigating deputy.
On 07/20/2024 the Price County Sheriff’s Office (PRSO) notified the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LISO) of a possible disturbance at an unknown exact location on the side of the Rd. on STH 86. It was reported that the reporting party was riding with her father who had been drinking. Once the vehicle stopped, the reporting party exited the vehicle and went to an address on STH 86 for refuge. The father, a 44-year-old man from Minocqua, left the area, leaving his daughter behind. A short time later, LISO received a call that a vehicle matching the suspect’s vehicle description was observed going into the ditch and then back out and continuing on STH 86. A short time after that, PRSO reported that they had a caller on the phone who reported the suspect was stopped on the side of the road in Lincoln County and involved in some form of altercation. Deputies with LISO arrived on scene and found several cars to be stopped at the location. The deputy immediately took the suspect into custody. The suspect was aggressive and resistive towards officers, so standard field sobriety tests were not performed. While being transported to the LCJ, the suspect made several threats toward the deputy’s life. The suspect also physically assaulted the deputy by grabbing her leg while the deputy was attempting to adjust the handcuffs for a more comfortable fit. The deputy used minimum force to stop the suspect from assaulting her and was not injured. The suspect was taken to the hospital for medical clearance before being booked into the LCJ for multiple crimes to include OWI with a passenger under 16, disorderly conduct, resisting an officer, battery to law enforcement, threats to law enforcement, damage to property, and recklessly endangering safety. The deputy was not injured.
On 07/27/2024 deputies were sent to an address on Spring Lake Rd. in the Town of Merrill for a suspicious vehicle complaint. It was reported that an older green trailblazer with loud exhaust was seen driving up and down the road, stopping at each driveway in the area. When the first deputy arrived in the area, he located a vehicle matching the description given of the suspect vehicle. The deputy attempted to make contact with the suspect vehicle and the driver fled from the deputy, prompting a vehicle pursuit. The deputy continued to chase the vehicle for some distance where speeds were approaching 100 mph. At one point, the deputy lost sight of the vehicle and discontinued the pursuit. The deputy then waited for backup deputies to arrive on scene prior to conducting a search of the area. The deputies did locate the suspect vehicle abandoned with no one around. The suspect vehicle was impounded, and the deputies have a good lead on the suspected driver. The investigation continues. LISO received assistance from Langlade County Sheriff’s Office (LGSO), the Wisconsin DNR, and the Wisconsin State Patrol.
On 07/28/2024 LISO received a complaint of a reckless driver traveling on USH 51 near the 207 mile marker in the Town of Pine River. The reporting party said the vehicle, a white Lincoln, was swerving all over the road, going from one side to the other. Due to the reporting party’s information, the deputy located the vehicle and stopped it to investigate. Once stopped, the deputy made contact with the driver, a 27-year-old woman from Gleason. In speaking with the driver, the deputy observed signs of impairment. The deputy requested the driver do field sobriety tests which the driver agreed to do. As a result of those tests, the driver was taken into custody for a first offense of OWI. The driver was later released to a responsible party.
On 07/30/2024 deputies were sent to an address on STH 86 in the Town of Tomahawk for a reported domestic dispute. Upon deputies arrival, they made contact with a 42-year-old woman from Tripoli and a 33-year-old man from Eagle River. According to the deputies, the two were having a heated verbal argument and in the process, the woman intentionally backed her car into the man’s car. In response to that, the man then smashed the window out of the woman’s car. Both the man and woman were arrested for domestic disorderly conduct. They were transported to the LCJ.
On 07/31/24 deputies responded to the area of CTH W and Deer Run Rd. in the Town of Pine River for a reported car vs deer crash with injuries. Deputies found that the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash had been southbound on CTH W when it struck a deer. Both the driver and passenger suffered minor injuries from the crash.
On 08/1/2024 the sheriff’s office took a call of a possible funnel cloud north of Walmart. Squads from both LISO and Merrill Police Department (MPD) were in the area and reported not seeing anything. No damage was reported with this event. Pictures that were captured by community members and shared with news media on Facebook did show what appeared to be a funnel cloud in the reported area.
On 08/01/2024 deputies were sent to the area of the north curve on CTH X at STH 64 in the Township of Pine River for a vehicle that had spun out and went in the ditch. It was reported by the first reporting party that the female driver appeared to be under the influence. The second reporting party on scene was an off-duty Crandon Police Officer. It was further reported that the female driver was asking that law enforcement not be called and she was trying to leave the scene. The off-duty officer prevented her from leaving. When the first deputy arrived on scene, he made contact with the driver, a 49-year-old woman from Antigo. The deputy noticed signs of impairment. The deputy asked the driver to perform some sobriety tests to which she refused. It was also learned that per the LGSO, the car she was driving had been reported as stolen. The woman was then arrested for her fifth offense of OWI, as well as bail jumping, probation violation, and drive motor vehicle without owner’s consent.
On 08/06/2024 deputies were dispatched to an address on Herb Mitchell Rd. in the Town of Bradley for a domestic-related incident. The victim, a 69-year-old woman from Oshkosh, was reporting to be the victim of a domestic disturbance that occurred between her and her fiancé, a 64-year-old man from IrmaI. During the call with dispatch, the victim reported that the male subject had armed himself with a shotgun. As deputies arrived on scene, the victim was able to leave the house, and she was evacuated by deputies. The male remained barricaded in the house armed with the shotgun. The Lincoln County Special Response Team (SRT) was activated and responded to the scene. Team negotiators were able to make contact with the male suspect via telephone and, in talking with him for several hours, were able to convince him to surrender to SRT members without incident. The victim was transported to a safe location for the night; she was not injured. The suspect was transported to the LCJ where he was booked in for domestic disorderly conduct and battery with additional charges pending. The LCSO was assisted by the MPD.
On 08/06/2024 deputies were sent to an address on Joe Snow Rd. in the Town of Scott for a report of a juvenile being out of control causing damage to his house. It was reported by the parent that the juvenile was punching holes in the wall and trying to get the keys to the car to leave. The first deputy arrived on scene and made contact with the juvenile and after a few minutes, the deputy reported that they had deployed the use of their taser to get the juvenile under control. The juvenile was then taken into custody and transported to Aspirus Merrill Hospital for medical clearance. Once done, the juvenile met with Lincoln County Social Services before being transported to the Washington County Juvenile Detention Center. The juvenile was taken into custody for criminal damage to property and resisting arrest.
On 08/07/2024 deputies were dispatched to an address on CTH Z in the Town of Scott for a suspicious persons report. It was reported that it appeared as though a male subject was scoping out residences in the area. At the time, the male was driving a black Dodge Charger and it was later learned that the vehicle was stolen out of another jurisdiction. About 45 minutes later, the MPD was assigned to a suspicious person complaint with a subject who matched the description of the suspect from out on CTH Z. The suspect, a 20-year-old man from Wausau, was taken into custody by MPD for unrelated charges.
Following the arrest, a deputy from the sheriff’s office located the stolen black Charger on Hilly Rd. in the Town of Scott. Immediately after finding the stolen car, the sheriff’s office received a call from another citizen who resides on Hilly Rd., reporting that their pickup truck had been stolen. That vehicle was then located on CTH Z. It was later determined that the suspect stole another vehicle from CTH Z and left it in the City of Merrill where MPD officers had contact with the suspect. It is believed that the suspect was involved in stealing vehicles in other counties as well. He was transported to the LCJ where he was booked in for felony bail jumping and operating a motor vehicle without owner’s consent.
On 08/8/2024 a deputy was dispatched to a business on Brandenburg Ave. in the Town of Scott for a theft complaint. The business was reporting that they had a male subject detained for stealing a pack of cigars. When the deputy arrived on scene, he made contact with the suspect, an 18-year-old man from Fort Gay, W. Va. The male subject advised that he stole the cigars because nobody would buy them for him and that he was out of substance for his vapor smoking device. The suspect had been traveling with his family at the time. The subject was taken into custody and transported to the LCJ.
On 08/08/2024 deputies and a Merrill Fire Department ambulance were sent to an address on Grundy Rd. in the Town of Birch for a report of a juvenile being out of control, causing damage to the reporting party’s house. It was reported by the juvenile’s grandfather that the juvenile was damaging his home and was not acting right. When deputies arrived on scene, they located and made contact with the 17-year-old juvenile from Merrill. The juvenile was transported to Aspirus Merrill Hospital for medical clearance and then taken into custody for domestic disorderly conduct. The juvenile, being 17 years old, was transported and booked into the LCJ.
On 08/11/2024 a deputy was dispatched to the boat landing on Dean Rd. in the Town of Bradley for a complaint of criminal damage to property. The reporting party reported that while he was at the boat landing, a vehicle came into the parking lot area driving at reckless speeds and spinning doughnuts. While doing so, the suspect vehicle kicked up several rocks that struck the reporting party’s vehicle, causing damage to the paint. The suspect and vehicle are described as a blue Ford Ranger with a topper and something white on the back end like a sticker. The driver is described as an older white male with gray hair and beard. Contact was made with neighbors in the area who reported having problems with this vehicle for a period of time now. The case is still under investigation.