Local News Briefs Wednesday 3/25/15

The bank robbery suspect shot and killed in shootout with a state trooper in Fond du Lac that also killed the trooper was suspected of robbing a bank in Marinette County earlier yesterday afternoon. That robbery at the State Bank of Florence in the Village of Wausaukee was reported at 1:43 p.m. The robber displayed a hand gun and fired off a round before robbing the bank. He left in a vehicle he stole from a bank employee. Less than an hour later authorities found a pick-up truck still running with a deceased man in his sixties in it. He had been shot. Investigators believe he had an encounter with the bank robbery suspect and they found the stolen vehicle from the robbery in the area. Another vehicle was taken in that area. A state trooper in Fond du Lac spotted that vehicle in Fond du Lac leading to the deadly encounter between the trooper and bank robbery suspect. 

Name Released In Fatal Accident

Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s officials have released the name of the 26-year-old rural Fond du Lac man who was killed while working on his pickup truck late Monday morning. Matthew Wiese was underneath the Ford F-350 pickup truck at W7039 Voyager Drive in the Town of Friendship when a mechanical failure occurred and he was pinned underneath it. He was extricated from beneath the vehicle, but died at the scene. The accident was reported at 11:07 Monday morning.

Sheboygan County Officials Release Name In Fatal Accident

The 22-year-old bicyclist who died from injuries suffered he suffered after being hit by a pickup truck in the Town of Sheboygan Monday morning has been identified. Sheboygan County Sheriff’s officials say the bicyclist was Colton King of Sheboygan. He was heading north on County Road A just north of State Highway 28 when he was hit by a northbound pickup truck driven by a 64-year-old man. Flight for Life flew him to St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay where he later died.  The pickup truck driver wasn’t injured.

Chimney Fire Reported In Washington County

Firefighters in Washington County yesterday responded to a chimney fire at 8468 Wesley Court in the Town of Farmington. The blaze spread into the home’s attic. Five fire departments battled the fire. No injuries were reported. The time of the fire call was 4:22 p.m. The Boltonville Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Fillmore, Kewaskum, Newburg, and West Bend Fire Departments.

Hustisford Shooting Report Erroneous

Dodge County Sheriff’s officials say circumstances regarding a reported shooting on Highway 60 in the Hustisford area last Sunday were incorrectly reported by media and on social media. According to the original report the victim stopped on the side of the road between Hustisford and Highway 26 to assist two subjects. They allegedly demanded his wallet and when he refused shot him with a .22 or .45 caliber pistol. He then drove himself to the Hustisford Fire Department to wait for EMS to treat him. Investigators say in fact Flight for Life flew the victim to a hospital where a “bb” type pellet was removed from under his skin. After an extensive canvass of the area a crime scene couldn’t be located.  Other inconsistencies in the report are being investigated.

West Bend Man Facing Burglary Charges In Multiple Counties

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for May 1st in Fond du Lac County Court for a 59-year-old Milwaukee man facing burglary, retail theft and other charges in seven different counties. Kim Sikorski is facing two counts each of burglary and bail jumping in Fond du Lac County. Meanwhile in Washington County he’s been charged in connection with business break-ins in West Bend and Germantown. Charges in both counties stem from break-ins that occurred last November. Charges are also filed against him in Milwaukee, Rock, Racine, Walworth and Waukesha Counties.  His lawyer says they are working to consolidate the criminal prosecutions.

Sentencing In Fatal Accident Emotionally Charged

Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney says he asked for a prison sentence of 7 to 9 years and a longer period of extended supervision for a 21-year-old Fond du Lac convicted of negligent vehicular homicide. Gilberto Castaneda-Bobadilla was sentenced Monday. Toney says Judge Richard Nuss was thoughtful in his sentencing giving Castaneda-Bobadilla three years in prison, five years of extended supervision and six years of probation. Toney says it was a packed courtroom with families and supporters for the defendant and victims of the November 2012 accident. He says it was an emotionally charged hearing. Giovanni Clouse was killed in the accident and Alex Schultz injured when Castaneda-Bobadilla went off the road near the South Hills Country Club and hit a tree. Toney says some in the vehicle were not wearing seatbelts. A blood test found the presence of marijuana in Castaneda-Bobadilla’s blood.

Agreement Reached For Shooting Suspect

A 30-year-old Fond du Lac man who shot a gun into the air near a downtown tavern got four years in prison and four years of extended supervision when he was sentenced this week. Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney says Marcus Britton didn’t get more prison time because he wasn’t pointing the gun at anyone. He says a witness told them Britton wasn’t aiming the gun or pointing it in the direction of anyone. He says Britton does have an extensive criminal history in the state of Florida including felony conviction, but an agreement was reached with the defense attorney on the length of the prison term and extensive supervision. Britton shot the gun off outside the Main Pub last September 28th.  

Voter ID Back But Not Likely To Be Used Until Next February In FDL County

Voters in Fond du Lac County likely won’t have to worry about showing photo ID at the polls until next February. A U.S. Supreme Court decision not to take up a challenge to the state’s Voter ID law means it can be used again. But Fond du Lac County Clerk Lisa Freiberg says it won’t be used in the April 7th election because absentee ballots have already gone out and in-person absentee voting has started for that election. She says in fact Monday was the first day for in-person absentee voting at municipal clerk offices. She says barring a special election the first time Voter ID will be used since before the legal challenges will be next February.

Aquatic Center Membership Fees Increased

The Fond du Lac School Board this week approved an increase in Aquatic Center fees. District Superintendent Jim Sebert says it’s the first time in seven years the center’s fees have been increased. The increase in membership fees include a $10 increase for 3 and 6 month memberships, and a $15 increase for the 9 month membership, and a $20 increase for the annual memberships. Sebert says it’s a modest increase with the annual fee working out to an increase of about $1.67 a month. The school board also approved the fees for the Summer Recreation Department programs.

Sheriff Website Has A New Look

The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s website has a new look. Sheriff’s Secretary Donna Whitty says the County’s website was upgraded last year and the Sheriff’s new website was about 7 months in the making. She says they worked with a company called Vision Internet. She says it’s still a work in progress. She says people can still find it at the same Internet address www.fdlsheriff.com and they have a Facebook link. She says it’s also linked to the County’s website. Whitty says you will find the same information at the site as before, but one change is an eNotification option under the Administration tab and News and Announcements. She says those who sign up for it will get a notification whenever there’s update posted on the Sheriff’s website.