Date:  December 23 2019
For more information contact: Sheriff James J Bindl

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department to participate in ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ holiday campaign December 13 through New Year’s Day

To help save lives and prevent needless tragedies, The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is joining law enforcement agencies across Wisconsin during the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” holiday campaign from Friday, December 13, 2019 through New Year’s Day.

“The holiday season is a festive time for many, but it can quickly turn tragic if drivers make the dangerous and irresponsible decision to get behind the wheel impaired, “Sheriff Bindl said.

Last year in Wisconsin, alcohol-related crashes resulted in 160 deaths and nearly 3,300 injuries. While alcohol-impaired drivers are a serious concern, law enforcement faces a growing challenge with drug-impaired drivers – people whose ability to safely operate a motor vehicle is compromised by legal or illegal drugs including prescription and over-the-counter medications. To help combat impaired driving, Wisconsin has:

• About 6,000 police officers trained in Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) to help detect and remove impaired drivers from the roadways;
• 301 highly-trained Drug Recognition Experts – among the most in the nation;
• 23 multi-jurisdictional high-visibility enforcement task forces operating throughout the year, across the state.

There are several ways citizens can help:

• Never allow someone to get behind the wheel impaired. Find a safe alternative to get them home. If you plan to celebrate, identify a sober designated driver;
• Report impaired drivers to law enforcement by calling 911. Provide as much detail as possible on the driver, vehicle, and location;
• Download the free “Drive Sober” mobile app from the WisDOT website. The app includes a “find a ride” feature to help locate mass transit and taxi services;
• Some taverns and restaurants have programs to provide patrons a safe ride home. Visit tlw.org/ and click on Safe Ride;
• Make sure that everyone in your vehicle is buckled up – every trip. Watch your speed and eliminate distractions.

“Safety along our roadways is not just a law enforcement issue,” Sheriff Bindl said. “Preventing crashes, injuries and deaths requires the cooperation of all motorists and citizens.”

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At 9:05am, December 17th, 2019, Richland County Authorities were notified of an adult male who had walked away from a group home on County Hwy I near County Hwy G in Forest Township.  The report indicated the subject had been missing 30-45 minutes and group home staff were attempting to locate the subject but could not.  Lieutenant Dane Kanable and Deputy Ken Moe responded to the area and met with employees of the home who gave details and a description of the subject.  A search of the area began and Lt. Kanable asked for the Sheriff’s Department drone and a pilot be sent to the scene.  Once arrived, drone pilot Deputy Casey Marshall launched the drone and flew the area.  Approximately 20 minutes later, the adult male was located by the drone sitting in a wooded area northwest of the residence.  He was found cold but uninjured and transported back to the group home.

The drone owned by the Sheriff’s Department was purchased in 2017 with donated funds.  It is equipped with a thermal imaging video camera and has proven to be an excellent tool to the department.  With Tuesday’s cold conditions, the success of the drone saved valuable time and possible exposure injury to the subject.

Authority:
Chief Deputy Chad Kanable

At approximately 6:30am on 11/13/19 a Richland County Deputy was on patrol in the village of Gotham and noticed a light on inside a home at 28875 McNurlin Street. The deputy also noticed a car with an open trunk in the driveway. The home, which less than 12 hours before was the location of a search warrant, was not supposed to be occupied. Another deputy arrived and assisted with a check of the area. Deputies discovered forced entry had been made into the residence and it appeared several items had been moved inside the home and other items were possibly missing. As Deputies investigated further, they located two individuals behind the residence, hiding by a yard shed. Both were taken into custody. Arrested were 32 year old Steven Baker and 29 year old Nichole Weiland both of Boaz. Both Baker and Weiland were transported to the Richland County Jail and are awaiting bail hearings on several charges. The incident remains under investigation.

If you see suspicious activity in your area, become involved. Call Crime Stoppers at 608-647-CLUE (2583) or the Richland County Sheriff’s Department at 608-647-2106.

Date of Incident: 11/13/2019

Arrest or Charges: Baker – Burglary using forced entry, theft of property, 2 counts of obstructing, resisting arrest, trespassing & Damage to property
Weiland – Burglary using forced entry, Theft of property, Obstructing an Officer & Trespassing

On Wednesday (10-30-19) at 11:16am Richland Co Dispatch received a call of a man stuck in a culvert on Cty Hwy G just north of Cty E in Sylvan Township.  The caller stated a worker for a local farm was assisting with pulling a large manure line through a road culvert tube.  The line was being pulled by a tractor and the man was making sure the line went through the tube without getting caught.  The man suddenly became entangled in the line and was pulled into the tube. Due to the angle he was pulled in, he became stuck and was not able to be freed by workers on scene.

Richland County Sheriff’s Deputies and Viola EMS responded, as did the Richland Center Fire Department with a rescue truck and a technical rescue trailer.  The Richland Co Highway Dept was requested to respond to the scene with an excavator, and Richland Center City Utilities responded to the scene with other specialized equipment.

Once on scene, emergency workers found a 43 year old man from Plain, stuck in a 12 inch road tube up to his waist.  After a short amount of time, the man was extricated from the tube.  He suffered severe injury to his legs and was immediately transported by Viola EMS to Vernon Memorial Hospital.  He was later transferred by Med-Flight helicopter to UW Hospital in Madison.  His condition is not known at this time.

Authority:  Chief Deputy Chad Kanable

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department reports that the body of a missing Orion Township woman has been located.

Gail Stone, age 79 of rural Muscoda, has been the subject of a missing persons search since early Friday afternoon.  The incident began Friday when a vehicle registered to Stone was located in a wooded area off Harry’s Lane in Orion Township.  The caretaker of the property located the vehicle and notified authorities.  After identifying the owner of the vehicle, a deputy traveled to the owners address but didn’t locate anyone there.  More efforts to locate the owner were not successful.

On Saturday afternoon, the Sheriff’s Department was notified that the owner of the vehicle suffered from Alzheimer’s and had not been seen since Tuesday afternoon.  Sheriff’s Deputies initiated a search of the area but the search was suspended due to darkness.  This morning (Sunday) a larger scale search was organized involving Sheriff’s Deputies, members of several local fire departments including Muscoda, Lone Rock, Richland Center and Blue River, Richland County Emergency Management and a member of the Wisconsin Drone Coalition.  Additional help was provided by the property owners and caretaker.  Within 45 minutes of starting the search, Gail Stone was located in a ravine in the southern part of the property.  A Richland County Coroner pronounced her dead at the scene.

In all approximately 35 people were involved in the search.

Richland County Sheriff James J. Bindl wishes to thank all the emergency responders who participated in the search and also thanks the land owners & neighbors for the assistance they provided.

At 6:01 PM Saturday (10-19-2019) the Richland Co Dispatch Center received calls of an explosion being heard and felt by residents in the city and north.  Reports indicated houses from the Allison Park area through the Hub City area shook from the blast.

Sheriff’s Deputies responded to try and locate the incident.  Within minutes, a deputy traveling just north of the city of Richland Center reported a large plume of smoke north and west of his location, possibly between County Hwy A and State Hwy 56.  It was then Richland Center Fire was paged and asked to respond.  As emergency crews traveled north, the smoke dissipated and made it harder to locate.

Several more calls from citizens trying to help pin point the blast poured into the dispatch center.  Deputies from the Sheriff’s Department, a WI State Patrol Trooper, an Officer from the Richland Center Police Dept. and Richland Center Fire units combed the area north and west of the city for almost an hour.

At around 6:50pm, a citizen met with authorities and directed them to the source of the blast, which was located at the address of 22855 Cty DD, in a wooded area on top of the ridge.  Law Enforcement Officials drove up the ridge and made contact with a subject identified as Jacob A. Busser, 22 of Lodi. The property is owned by his father, and was the location of a field party.   After speaking with Busser, it was learned that approximately 10 lbs of tannerite, which is a highly explosive material used commonly in shooting targets, had been set up and shot at with a firearm.  That action detonated the entire 10lbs of material at once, causing the enormous blast.  The blast was reported from a large area of the county, as calls reporting or inquiring about the incident were logged from Sextonville to Gillingham to Snow Valley as well as the City of Richland Center.

No injuries were reported.  Richland County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Chad Kanable stated he was relieved no one was injured or killed from the blast and thanks the many citizens and emergency personnel who assisted with the incident.  He stated it is legal to possess tannerite and like anything it can be safe when used properly and used for intended purposes.  Last evenings actions exceeded those purposes.

The incident is being forwarded to the Richland County District Attorney’s Office for possible charges and remains under investigation.

Richland County Sheriff James J. Bindl reports:

On 9-24-2019 Deputies from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department searched a home in the Village of Gotham after receiving information it may contain several stolen items from recent burglaries from Richland and Sauk Counties.

Sheriff’s Deputies traveled to an address of 28875 McNurlin St in the village of Gotham and spoke with the occupant there, who subsequently gave permission for a search to be done of his property.  Sheriff’s Deputies recovered several items that have been reported stolen in recent weeks during the search, including chainsaws, power tools, battery operated tools and other items.  While a deputy was still at the residence, another male subject pulled up in a vehicle.  The male exited the vehicle and approached the residence, but tried to flee on foot after seeing the deputy. The male, identified as Bryce G. Mathews was quickly captured and detained.  After a search, Mathews was found to have a drugs, drug paraphernalia and a handgun in his possession.  Matthews, who is a convicted felon, was taken into custody and transported to the Richland County Jail on charges of resisting an officer, felon in possession of a handgun, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The occupant of the residence, 60 year old William C. Giddings, is charged with possession of stolen property and felony bail jumping.

Authorities continued their investigation and as a result have arrested a third individual, 24 year old Dakota L. Lins of Lone Rock.  Lins is charged with theft, receiving stolen property and four counts of felony bail jumping. Both Giddings and Lins were booked into the Richland County Jail.  All charges have been referred to the Richland County District Attorney’s Office.  The recovered items are being processed as evidence.

Sheriff Bindl stated the arrests made and items recovered could potentially close seven cases of theft and burglary in Richland County.  Sheriff Bindl reminds all area residents to lock their doors and secure their belongings at all times to deter criminal activity.

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On 9-24-2019 at 1:42pm, Richland Co Dispatch received a 911 call of a logging accident at 26553 Section Hollow Ln. off County Highway I in Rockbridge Township. Sheriff’s Deputies responded as did Richland County EMS and Richland Center Fire. A Richland Co Sheriff’s Deputy arrived first on scene and discovered that 83 year old Lester W. Mick was cutting trees on his property, on a hillside. His son, Robert “Wayne” Mick was also on the property using a log splitter. Wayne heard a bunch of limbs breaking in the woods behind him and went to check on his dad. It was discovered the tree being cut by Lester Mick had fallen on top of him, pinning him underneath. Lester Mick was pronounced dead at the scene by a Deputy Richland County Coroner. No other injuries were reported. Funeral services for Lester W. Mick are pending with the Pratt Memorial Chapel in Richland Center.