Richland County Sheriff's Office

Semi Rollover with Injuries on State Hwy 60

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On July 2nd, 2018 at 2:10 P.M Gerald Larmay of Two Rivers, WI was operating a semi traveling Eastbound on State hwy 60. Larmay was negotiating a curve when he lost control of the semi and entered the ditch on the North side of the Hwy. The semi then overturned coming to rest on its side. Larmay had to be extricated from the cab by Muscoda Fire Department. UW Med Flight landed in Gotham and transported Larmay to UW Health in Madison. State hwy 60 was closed for several hours while the semi was being removed. Larmay is listed in stable condition at this time. This accident remains under investigation by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

WHO INVOLVED: Gerald Larmay, 73 of Two Rivers

Other Agencies Involved:

Muscoda Fire & EMS
Richland Center Ambulance Service
Lone Rock Fire
Muscoda Police Department
UW Med Flight

Cazenovia Man Injured in Motorcycle Crash

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On 6/29/2018 at 6:11pm the Richland County Communications Center received a 911 call of a motorcycle accident in Bloom Township on County Hwy H north of Bloom City. Yuba Fire & First Responders, along with Kickapoo Rescue and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department responded. Authorities arrived on scene and discovered a Harley Davidson motorcycle, operated by Todd A. Catherall, 35 of Cazenovia, well off the roadway in a ditch. According to the report, Catherall was traveling north on County Hwy H following another motorcycle when he failed to negotiate a curve and traveled off the roadway on the right and down into a field. Catherall was injured and was transported by Kickapoo Rescue Squad to Gundersen St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hillsboro, and later transferred to University Hospital in Madison by UW Med Flight. Catherall was not wearing a helmet. Assisting at the scene was Yuba Fire Department, Yuba First Responders and Kickapoo Rescue Squad. The incident remains under investigation.

Tractor Fatality in Orion Township

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At 9:46pm Wednesday evening, the Richland County Communications Center received a 911 call of a tractor accident at 30119 County Hwy O in Orion Township.  The report was that a male subject was pinned under a tractor.  Richland County Ambulance, Richland Center Fire, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department responded.  The incident happened in a dense and hilly portion of the property.  It appeared the victim, Charles Ray of Orion Township, was traveling down a hill on a path on a small Ford Tractor when it went off the path on the right and traveled down a deep ravine where the front of the tractor struck the ground and flipped over.  Charles Ray was pronounced dead at the scene by Richland County Coroner James Rossing.  Access to the scene was made by the fire department’s UTV.  The incident remains under investigation.

Sex Offender Compliance Check

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RICHLAND COUNTY SHERIFF, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, AND U.S. MARSHALS CONDUCT SEX OFFENDER COMPLIANCE CHECK

Richland County, Wis. – The US Marshals along with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Sex Offender Registry Program and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department conducted a residence verification operation for registered sex offenders. On May 30 and 31st deputies checked the addresses of 53 registered sex offenders in Richland County. Four were found to be non-compliant. The Sex Offender Registry Program Specialist will investigate and make recommendations to the district attorney as necessary.

This initiative is part of the working relationship between the US Marshals Sex Offender Investigations Branch and the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Sex Offender Registration Program which monitors all 24,187 Wisconsin Sex Offenders.

Sheriff James J. Bindl commented on how much appreciation he had to the US Marshal’s Service and the Dept of Corrections for conducting this operation. “Compliance checks are needed to help us ensure the safety of our citizens” Bindl said. “it was a successful cooperative effort.”.

The Wisconsin Department of Corrections maintains a database for the general public at http://offender.doc.state.wi.us/public/.

Richland County County SOIB 2018

Animal Abuse Results in Charges for a Loganville Woman

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According to Sheriff James J. Bindl: On 6/4/18 the Richland County Sheriff’s Department received a complaint of horses appearing to be in bad health on Shellington Drive. An investigation immediately started. The owner of the animals, Thurley Neumaier of Loganville, was contacted and questioned about the condition of two horses on the Shellington Drive property which authorities identified as in poor health. Neumaier indicated she knew the horses were under weight due to a tooth issue and because she had gotten behind in de-worming the animals. A local veterinarian was contacted by authorities and an opinion of the horses condition was given. As a result of the investigation, Thurley Neumaier was booked into the Richland County Jail and charged in Richland County Circuit Court with failure to provide for confined animals. Authorities checked the remaining horses on the property which appeared to be in good health.

Neumaier was released on bond.

WHO INVOLVED: Thurley Neumaier, 62, of Loganville, WI

ARREST or CHARGES: 951.13 (1) Failure to provide proper food and drink to confined animals

Deputies Investigating a 2-Vehicle Crash

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On 05-26-18 at 10:55 PM deputies responded to a report of a two vehicle crash on State Hwy 80 near Pauls Hill Drive. A vehicle being driven by Gregory Fischer, 33, of Richland Center, was traveling north bound on State Hwy 80 when an oncoming vehicle being driven by Daniel Bell, 35, of Richland Center, crossed the center line entering the north bound lane. The vehicles collided head on blocking the entire highway. Fischer and his passenger, Jessica Brown, 29, of Richland Center, were trapped in their vehicle and had to be extricated by the Richland Center Fire Department. Brown was transported to Richland Center Hospital by Richland County EMS for serious injuries and later transported to UW Health in Madison by UW Med Flight. Fischer was checked on scene by Richland County EMS and did not require treatment. Bell refused medical treatment on scene but was later transported to UW Health for non-life threatening injuries. Bell has been charged with operating while under the influence causing injury. The crash remains under investigation by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

WHEN: 05-26-2018          TIME of Incident:  10:55PM        Location: State Hwy 80 at Pauls Hill Dr

WHO INVOLVED:
Daniel Bell, 35 of Richland Center, WI

Gregory Fischer, 33 of Richland Center, WI
Jessica Brown, 29 of Richland Center, WI

Other Agencies Involved:
Richland Center Fire Department
Richland County EMS
UW Med Flight
Richland County District Attorney’s Office

Click It or Ticket 2018

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Richland Center Police Department and Richland County Sheriff’s Department to mobilize for Click It or Ticket safety belt enforcement from May 21st to June 3rd.

Both the Richland Center Police Department and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department will join hundreds of other law enforcement agencies throughout Wisconsin for the annual Click It or Ticket safety belt enforcement campaign from May 21 to June 3.

“We enforce Wisconsin’s mandatory safety belt law – not to write citations – but to help save lives and prevent needless injuries,” said Chief Lucas Clements. “Right now in Wisconsin, we know that about nine of 10 motorists consistently wear a safety belt. We also know that the 10 percent who fail to buckle up account for nearly half of the drivers and passengers killed in Wisconsin traffic crashes each year.”

The state’s safety belt use rate of 89.4 percent is the highest ever, but still lags behind the national average. Last year in Wisconsin, there were 58,899 traffic convictions for failure to fasten a seat belt.

In Wisconsin, law enforcement officers can stop and cite motorists for failing to wear a safety belt. In addition, drivers can be cited for every unbuckled passenger in their vehicle. “Again, this is about preventing injuries and saving lives,” Sheriff James Bindl said. “Before hitting the road, drivers need to ensure that everyone is buckled up, every seat, every trip.”

Traffic Stop Leads to K9 Deployment and Drug Arrest

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Richland County Sheriff James J Bindl reports that on 04-27-18, A Sheriff’s Deputy stopped a vehicle on Hwy 80 just south of Hwy 60 in Eagle township due to the registered owner of the vehicle having a felony warrant. During the stop 46 year old Lemuel Anderson of Avoca, who was operating the vehicle, provided a California driver’s license that was expired and also had an expired instructional permit through Wisconsin. Anderson did not have a valid license. K9 Rambo was deployed for a “free air” exterior vehicle scenting and had a positive alert to the odor of illegal narcotics inside. A search of the vehicle provided 4.3g of Crack Cocaine, 10.04g of Marijuana, $1,182.00 cash, digital scales and drug paraphernalia. It was also learned that Anderson was out on felony bond from Richland County. Lemuel Anderson was arrested and charged (see charges below). The Muscoda Police Department assisted at the scene.

WHEN: 4/27/18          TIME of Incident:  09:02PM

WHO Involved: Lemuel A. Anderson, 46, of Avoca, WI

WHERE Incident Happened: Hwy 80 South of Hwy 60, Eagle Township

ARREST or CHARGES: 961.41(1m)(cm)1r Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine, 961.41(h)1 Possession with Intent to Deliver THC, 961.573 Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, 946.49(b) Felony Bail Jumping (2 counts) 343.05(3)(a) Operating a motor vehicle with out a valid license (1st Offense)

Charges Pending for Fleeing Suspect

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On Thursday, March 29th at approximately 10:42 PM, Richland County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a call of a domestic disturbance on County Hwy Y in Eagle Township. When deputies arrived, they discovered the suspect had fled the scene.  As the deputies spoke with the homeowners, the suspect identified as Jesse E. Shields, 34 of Richland Center, returned to the residence but refused to cooperate with the deputies.  Shields fled the scene driving a vehicle north on Co Hwy Y.

A deputy pursued the vehicle for a short distance before the squad he was operating became involved in a crash. The suspect continued north on Co Hwy Y.  A search for the suspect was successful by Richland County Deputies and Officers of the Richland Center Police Department.  Jesse Shields was taken into custody and transported to the Richland County Jail.

Two Richland County Deputies were injured in the crash.  They were transported by Richland County EMS to the Richland Hospital where they were in observation and then released.

Charges are pending with the Richland County District Attorney’s Office.  The Wisconsin State Patrol is assisting in the investigation.

Madison man leads deputies on crash-filled chase in 2 counties

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On 3/26/2018 at approximately 6:10pm, Richland County authorities were notified by the Vernon County Sheriff’s Department of a reckless driver eastbound on US Hwy 14 from the Readstown area.  The report was that he was not stopping for Vernon County Deputies and a call for help went out to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department to deploy “Stop Sticks” (tire deflation devices) was made.

It was learned the suspect vehicle had been involved in at least three crashes in Vernon County, involving both civilian and law enforcement vehicles.  Authorities attempted several trained maneuvers to stop the suspect as he appeared to intentionally ram into squads and continued east on Hwy 14.  As the suspect entered Richland County he crashed into four additional civilian vehicles traveling on the roadway, drove through ditch lines and continued to flee from deputies.

A Richland County Deputy arrived and coordinated with Vernon County Deputies to attempt to stop the vehicle.  Contact was made with the suspect vehicle by squad cars in a trained manner which temporarily stopped the suspect, however as deputies exited to make contact with the driver, he accelerated and pushed through the squads, and continued eastbound.  The suspect was yelling out the window at authorities and throwing items from his vehicle as he drove.  The chase reached a maximum speed of 35 mph according to authorities.

The subject was stopped on Hwy 14 at Wescott Rd. in Richland Counties Sylvan Township after two squads made contact with the suspect vehicle pinning him between them.  The subject was taken into custody and transported to the Richland County Jail.  The subject caused four hit and run crashes to occupied civilian vehicles and rammed into three squad cars in Richland County alone.

The arrested subject, identified as Leonard P. Perfetti, 46 of Madison, faces several criminal charges that are being coordinated through Richland County District Attorney Jennifer Harper and Vernon County District Attorney Tim Gaskell.  The WI State Patrol is assisting in the ongoing investigation.

Assisting in the incident:  Vernon County Sheriff’s Department, WI State Patrol, Richland Center Police, Viola Police Department, Readstown Fire, Richland Center Fire, Vernon County District Attorney, and the Richland County District Attorney.

Richland County Sheriff James Bindl highly commended the road deputies from both Vernon and Richland Counties as well as the dispatchers.  “This was a very dangerous incident for everyone on the road.  Because of the Deputies actions, no one was injured or killed last night.  All involved did what had to be done and did it well.”