Local News Saturday 6/15/13

Plea Agreement In Police Officer Injury Case

 

The 42-year-old Juneau man who injured a Juneau officer by allegedly driving drunk into her squad car has reached a plea agreement. Chad Buelter pled to a 2nd offense OWI causing injury charge this week in Dodge County Court. Another felony count of hit and run involving injury was dismissed. He will be sentenced on August 21st.  The officer was legally parked on a street last April when Buelter ran his SUV into her new squad car.  He stumbled away from the scene of the accident leaving behind the injured officer and three drunk and confused passengers in his vehicle.

 

Horicon Man Waives Preliminary Hearing On OWI Injury Charge

 

The 29-year-old Horicon man facing a drunken driving causing injury and other charges for a two-car accident on Highway 28 has been bound over for trial. Kyle Rach waived his right to a preliminary hearing when he appeared in Dodge County Court this week. County Sheriff’s officials say the accident on June 2nd happened between Mayville and Horicon when Rach rear-ended another vehicle sending it into a ditch. The driver of that other car, 28-year-old Joseph Klatt of Lomira, was taken to a hospital. It’s the fourth OWI charge for Rach. He will be arraigned on July 10th. He’s being held in the Dodge County Jail on a $10,000 cash bond.

 

Motorcycle Helmets Save Lives

 

Wearing a motorcycle helmet may be a personal choice, but the Director of the Trauma Center at Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah says choosing to wear one is the safe choice. Dr. Ray Georgen says one of the worst accidents he worked this past year was the accident on Highway 151 in Fond du Lac County where a motorist ran into a group of 10 motorcyclists. Two of the bikers ended up dying, but Georgen says more would have perished had they not been wearing their helmets. He says there is a 37 percent reduction in mortality rates in motorcycle accidents where the motorcyclist is wearing a helmet.

 

FDL City Councilman Would Like To See More State Shared Revenue

 

Fond du Lac City Councilman Rob Vande Zande says it was good to see Rick Gudex back before the City Council this past week. Gudex was the City Council President until last December when he resigned to take his seat in the State Senate. This past week he updated the Council on the State Budget. State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt was also supposed to be there, but got stuck in a State Assembly session. Vande Zande says Gudex had some good news for the Council regarding the State Budget, but he would have liked to see more funding for municipalities like Fond du Lac.

 

Fruth Field Project Progressing

 

Work is progressing on the Fruth Field improvements in Fond du Lac. School District Superintendent Jim Sebert says they hope to wrap up work on the improvements at the end of July. He says the project will among other things improvement handicap access. The $800,000 in improvements will also improve the bathrooms include a new entrance, pillars, plazas, a trainer’s room, new concession stands and more. More information about the project is available at the school district website; look for the Fans for Fruth banner.

North Fondy Fest

 

North Fondy Fest continues today at the Village Park. Some of the highlights include a pancake breakfast that runs from 7 to 11 a.m. The parade is at Noon with a “Beach Party” theme. Ride all the carnival rides for a $15 wristband from 1 to 5 p.m. There’s a magic show at 1:30 p.m.  The “Red Birds” will perform from 2 to 7 p.m. At 7:30 the raffle drawing for a $5,000 grand prize will be held and following that from 8 to 11:30 p.m. Road Trip will perform.