News — Page 28

Halloween Safety Tips

October 28, 2015 By Chief Deputy Leave a Comment

City of Richland Center Trick or Treat hours are 5:00 – 7:30 p.m. on Halloween evening (October 31). Please leave a front porch light on if you wish to be visited by trick-or-treaters. Following are a few safety tips for trick-or-treaters.

General Safety

Plan your route with your family ahead of time. Pick streets that are well lit and in your own neighborhood. Parents should provide a watch and indicate a time children should return home.
Trick-or-Treat with a parent, older sibling, or with a group of children if someone older can’t go with you.
Children should go only to houses where the porch lights are on, and never go into a house. Children should walk from house to house – NEVER RUN!
Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.
Children should carry a flashlight after dark.

Keep Costumes Both Creative and Safe

Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.
Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.

Drive Extra Safely on Halloween

Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.

Body Located in Marshall Township Identified

October 27, 2015 By Chief Deputy Leave a Comment

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department has released the identity of the subject found deceased in Marshall Township over the weekend. Justin Chamberlin, 37, of Poynette, WI was identified as the subject found on Sunday lying in a wooded area off from Spring Hill Road.

According to Investigators, a vehicle registered to Chamberlin was seen parked on the edge of Spring Hill Road on Wednesday October 21st, by passers by, however no call to authorities were made.

Late Saturday, a deputy checked the vehicle after the Sheriff’s Department received a call it may be abandoned. Attempts were made to contact the owner but were not successful.

On Sunday, a pair of hunters contacted the land owner stating they saw what they believed was a campsite in the woods. The land owner went to the area to check and subsequently located the victim. The death has been ruled a suicide. The Sheriff’s Department was assisted by the Richland County Coroner’s Office and the Richland Center Fire Department.

Richland County Sheriff’s Department

Body Found in Marshall Township

October 26, 2015 By Chief Deputy Leave a Comment

On Sunday Oct 25, at 2:21 pm the Richland County Communications Center received a call regarding a male subject who was found lying in a wooded area of Marshall township, off from Spring Hill Road. The caller believed the person was deceased. Deputies from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene. When deputies arrived, they discovered an adult male subject who had suffered a single gun shot wound to the head. Investigators determined gun shot wound to be self inflicted.

The Richland County Coroners Office responded to the scene, as did the Richland Center Fire Department Duty Crew.

The identity of the individual is being withheld pending notification of relatives.

Richland County Sheriff’s Department

Second Offense OWI and Drug Charges

October 11, 2015 By Chief Deputy Leave a Comment

On October 9^th, 2015 at approximately 3:20 AM Deputies observed two vehicles in the village of Lone Rock traveling on Union Street. As one of the deputies was following the two vehicles they turned onto Pearl Street. The vehicles then left the roadway and drove through a yard to a residence located on the 300 block of East Pearl Street. Deputies then made contact with the occupants of both vehicles and noticed that the driver of one of the vehicles showed signs of impairment. The driver was verbally identified as Corey L Girton. Girton was asked to perform standardized field sobriety tasks at that time. After the tasks were performed Girton was arrested for operating while under the influence 2^nd offense and operating after revocation. A search of the vehicle was conducted after the arrest. Recovered from the vehicle was close to a half ounce of marijuana as well as other drug paraphernalia. Girton was booked into the Richland County jail on felony drug charges as well as the operating while under the influence 2^nd offense.

[Read more…]

Use Caution When Traveling in the Morning House with Dense Fog

September 28, 2015 By Chief Deputy Leave a Comment

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department wants to remind all drivers to be careful in their morning commute with the foggy conditions we are and will continue to experience.

Drivers are asked to slow down, use their head lights and be mindful of the possibility of stopped traffic such as school buses. The fog is thick in the mornings and it inhibits your vision. Normal traveling speeds are not appropriate in the fog. At normal speeds drivers may find it difficult or impossible to avoid a crash with a stopped school bus, slowed traffic, or pedestrians.

Please use caution and slow down as you travel. Allow extra time to get to work or school, and stay alert.

RCPD makes an Arrest for Attempted 1st Degree Intentional Homicide

September 26, 2015 By Chief Deputy Leave a Comment

Nina Fields

The Richland Center Police Department is continuing their investigation into an attempted 1^st degree intentional homicide that occurred in the City in the days leading up to Sunday, September 20, 2015.

Chief of Police Lucas Clements reports that in the early morning hours of Sunday, September 20^th dispatch received a call from the Madison Police Department wishing to speak with an officer from the Richland Center Police Department. At 2:02 a.m. an officer placed a phone call to a Lieutenant with the Madison Police Department. The officer learned that the Madison Police Department had been contacted by staff at Meriter Hospital, who had concerns that one of their patients had possibly been intentionally poisoned.

Preliminary investigation showed that the victim was a 68 year old female resident of the City of Richland Center that had been transferred from the Richland Hospital to Meriter Hospital on the afternoon of Friday, September 18^th. The victim’s condition had gotten considerably worse throughout the morning of Saturday, September 19^th at which time she was put on dialysis and had further blood work tested that ultimately showed high levels of Ethylene Glycol (antifreeze) in her system. [Read more…]

Drug Search Warrant Leads to Arrest

September 26, 2015 By Chief Deputy Leave a Comment

On the evening of September 24^th, 2015 a Deputy from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department attempted to serve a civil claims warrant on a female in the city of Richland Center. Contact was made with a juvenile family member of the person who stated she was not home. During the contact the Deputy noticed a strong odor of what was believed to be green marijuana emitting from the residence and as a result, a search warrant was obtained. At around 11:30pm members of the Richland County DTF, Richland Center Police Department and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department executed the search warrant with the assistance of an Iowa County K-9 Deputy.

The search produced numerous items of drug paraphernalia along with several grams of marijuana. As a result, 34 year old Angaleena N. Guzman was taken into custody for a civil claims warrant, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and felony possession of (THC) Marijuana. [Read more…]

PRESS RELEASE – Traffic Stop Leads to Two OWI Arrests

September 23, 2015 By Chief Deputy Leave a Comment

On September 20th, 2015 at approximately 2:20 a.m a Richland County Sheriff’s Deputy observed a vehicle traveling eastbound on U.S Hwy 14 near Old Mill Rd. The Deputy observed the vehicle cross the center line and a traffic stop was initiated. When the vehicle came to a stop, the Deputy observed the driver and passenger switch seats while remaining inside the vehicle. Contact was made with James Ewers who was now operator of the vehicle. Ewers was asked to perform standardized field sobriety testing at that time. Ewers showed signs of impairment during the testing and was arrested for operating while under the influence 1^st offense. Ewers informed the Deputy that he did in fact switch seats with the original driver after he was asked to. Contact was then made with Matthew Nave who was seated in the passenger seat. Nave was asked to perform standardized field sobriety tasks at that time as well. Nave also showed signs of impairment and was arrested for operating while under the influence 2^nd offense and operating while revoked. [Read more…]

PRESS RELEASE – One Car Crash Leads to OWI and Burglary Charges

September 22, 2015 By Chief Deputy Leave a Comment

Troy A Hach, Michael L Wilson

On September 21, 2015 at approximately 9:15 p.m. the Richland County Sheriff’s Department was advised of a one car vehicle crash on USH 14 just West of Eden Valley Lane. Law Enforcement arrived on scene and found one vehicle with significant damage in the ditch line just off of USH 14, vehicle had no occupants upon arrival. Law Enforcement located operator and passenger concealing themselves in the brush. Evidence showed that Wilson was the operator of the vehicle and had drugs and drug paraphernalia on his person. Law Enforcement did locate numerous tools on suspects and their vehicle. After an investigation, it was found that both parties were just involved in a burglary and had stolen the tools and other goods from a business on USH 14. It was determined that Wilson and Hach were both intoxicated and were transported to the Richland center hospital and treated for non life threatening injuries. [Read more…]

PRESS RELEASE – Traffic Stop Leads to Multiple Arrests

September 14, 2015 By Chief Deputy Leave a Comment

Derek Nehls, Anthony Dubson and Jason Weiland

On September 12, 2015 at approximately 12:20 AM a Richland County Sheriff’s Deputy observed a white Corvette traveling west bound on State Hwy 171 at a high rate of speed without any headlights, near the village of Boaz. The Deputy attempted to make a traffic stop on the vehicle and the driver fled, continuing south bound on County Hwy E, and eventually turning west onto Hill Road. Two Deputies pursued the vehicle on Hill Road until the driver lost control and traveled off the roadway into a field. The driver was then taken into custody and identified as Derek Nehls of Lone Rock. Nehls was arrested for operating while under the influence 2^nd offense and felony fleeing an Officer. After an investigation, it was found that Nehls was just involved in a burglary and had stolen the Corvette from a shed on Tuckaway Valley Road. The investigation continued and two males identified as Jason Weiland and Anthony Dubson were also arrested for being involved in the burglary. Deputies investigating the case found out that a truck and trailer were also used to take items from the location of the burglary. The truck used in the crime was recovered the following day in the Village of Spring Green. The trailer used in the crime and the stolen property from the burglary were later located on a property on Patch Hill Dr near Viola. While Deputies were placing the truck and trailer into the Sheriff’s Department impound, it was discovered that the truck was stolen out of the State of Iowa and the trailer was stolen from the City of Viroqua. While performing a search of the truck, crystal methamphetamine was discovered inside. The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is working with several surrounding agencies, and at this time the investigation is still ongoing. More arrests are expected to be made from this investigation. [Read more…]