2/8/24 Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday
8 February 2024 News
DODGE COUNTY WALK AWAY BACK IN CUSTODY
The 44-year-old Huber inmate who failed to return to the Dodge County Jail from a medical appointment Sunday morning is back in custody. In collaboration with the Milwaukee Police Department Jennifer Petersen was taken back in custody. Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt Wednesday released more information about Petersen’s history of custody. She was convicted and sentenced to prison in the fall of 2022 for felon in possession of a firearm. A separate charge of theft was read into the record and dismissed. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison and given 18 months of extended supervision. During her time in prison she participated in an earned release program. She subsequently petitioned the court, and her request was granted, to have her sentence reduced and to serve her remaining time on extended supervision. She was released under supervision to the Department of Corrections, division of community corrections or probation and parole. After her release she was arrested again and placed into custody on a sanction hold by the DOC and turned over to the Dodge County Jail. The DOC placed her on sanctions and gave her Huber privileges. The medical appointment had been arranged. (Dodge County Jail photo).
NEW JURY TRIAL SCHEDULED IN GREEN LAKE COUNTY RECKLESS HOMICIDE CASE
A new jury trial has been scheduled in Green Lake County court for a 63-year-old Fox Lake man suspected of causing a fatal traffic accident more than 3 ½ years ago. During a jury trial in December the lawyer for Carlton Schley, Sr. felt his representation was ineffective and the judge granted a motion for a mistrial. Earlier this week a new jury trial was scheduled for five days starting Monday, April 29th. Schley is charged with second degree reckless homicide and second degree reckless injury. Charges stemmed from an accident that occurred on July 22nd, 2020 at the intersection of County Highway A and Hickory Drive in the Town of Mackford. According to the criminal complaint Schley was operating a John Deere tractor sprayer with booms and failed to stop at a stop sign on Hickory Drive. A Toyota RAV4 driven by a 73-year-old man struck the tractor sprayer killing him and injured the 72-year-old woman who was his passenger.
DAUGHTER OF WAUPUN INMATE WHO DIED IN SOLITARY FILES LAWSUIT
The daughter of a Wisconsin inmate who killed himself in solitary confinement has filed a federal lawsuit against state prison officials. It alleges they failed to provide adequate mental health care and medications. On the 9th day of a stint in solitary confinement at Waupun Correctional Institution last June Dean Hoffman was found dead in his cell. He is one of at least three Waupun inmates who died in 2023. The other two deaths are under investigation. Hoffman’s daughter, Megan Hoffman Kolb, filed the lawsuit in Milwaukee Tuesday. It seeks unspecified damages. Dean Hoffman was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison in February of 2023 for kidnapping a woman in 2018. In the lawsuit his daughter alleges he was suffering from severe mental illness when he entered the prison last April. Due to a lockdown implemented last March he went weeks without seeing any mental health care provider and only received medication sporadically. He was placed in solitary confinement on June 20th after refusing to return to his cell, saying his cellmate threatened him. He was found dead in solitary on June 29th.
SPORTS SCAMMER PLEADS TO FEDERAL WIRE FRAUD CHARGE
A 28-year-old New York City man pled guilty this week to a federal charge of wire fraud. According to court documents between January 4th, 2019 and December 11th, 2022 Nikhil Mahtani placed over 1,000 ads on Craigslist offering high end tickets and luxury box suites to National Football League, National Basketball League, and other professional sporting events around the country. He victimized people throughout Wisconsin and elsewhere as he accepted thousands of dollars in payment for tickets, and suites he knew were not real. In one instance, a large group of friends and family arrived at Fiserv Forum the night the Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA Championship in 2021, only to be turned away and told their tickets were fraudulent. As a result of the scheme, Mahtani received approximately $100,000 from victims in Wisconsin and across the United States. He faces up to 20 years of imprisonment when he is sentenced on May 10th. He could also be fined up to $250,000 and could serve up to three years on supervised release. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office was one of the investigating agencies.
WINNEBAGO COUNTY REVOLVING LOAN FUND CREATED
The Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation has introduced the Winnebago County Revolving Loan Fund, a collaborative initiative between Winnebago County and Greater Oshkosh EDC aimed at supporting local businesses. The program activates $2.7 million in underutilized economic development funds. The loan fund is a flex gap financing tool providing businesses with the capital needed for strategic growth and expansion. The program will match up to a maximum of one dollar for every dollar of traditional capital investment sources, with the funding range of $25,000 to $250,000. The loan fund will support a wide range of activities for businesses and projects within the Winnebago County limits. Those interested in learning more about the Winnebago County Revolving Loan Fund should visit the Greater Oshkosh website.
WINNEBAGO COUNTY SHERIFF’S ANNUAL REPORT BY THE NUMBERS
By the numbers 2023 was a busy year for the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. The office has just released its annual report which is 43 pages long. Last year their patrol division handled 51,167 calls for service, the highest amount in the past five years. They responded to 1,275 traffic crashes including eight fatalities. The number of crashes was down more than 400 from 2022. Forty-nine people died from drug overdoses in Winnebago County in 2023 and 27 of them were due to fentanyl. Their Communications Division was also busy with 911 calls taking 57,607 of them. Jail Admissions for 2023 were 3,146 with a daily average of 221.8 inmates and an average stay of 15.4 days. The annual report can be found at the Winnebago County website.
2023 Annual Report.pdf (winnebagocountywi.gov)
ENGINEERING FIRM PICKED FOR NEW GREEN LAKE COUNTY HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT BUILDING
Some of the preliminary work for a new Green Lake County Highway Department building is being done. An Ad Hoc Highway Committee was put together for that purpose. County Supervisor Luke Dretske sits on the County Board’s Finance Committee. He says four bids were received for design of the new facility. The Finance Committee approved spending ARPA funds for the final bid submitted by the Ad Hoc Highway Committee not to exceed $35,000. On January 29th the Ad Hoc Highway Committee approved Excel Engineering at a cost of $29,000. Dretske says the Ad Hoc Highway Committee will also be working on what the county wants the new facility to include and its eventual cost. He’s hoping that will include what they need and not something with all the bells and whistles. He says they don’t need a $20 to $30 million Taj Mahal.
NEW K9 BEING TRAINED FOR GREEN LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
A new K9 is being trained to take over the opening in the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office created by the retirement of K9 Tess last month. Tess was with the Department 8 or 9 years. K9 Kai came on board last fall. Chief Deputy Matt Vande Kolk says the dogs are a vital tool in detecting drugs during traffic stops and the execution of search warrants and can be a crime deterrent. Their newest K9 Ash will be teamed with Deputy Meyer but the two are currently going through the training they need before they can hit the streets. K9’s Kai and Ash are German Shepherds. The Department’s third K9 is Roky a Yellow Lab.
HOME IMPROVEMENT PROTECTION
With the home improvement season on the horizon the state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection reminds residents to do their homework when they hire a contractor. In 2023 the department received 867 complaints ranging from failure to provide services to improper installation and more. Michelle Reinen is the Administrator for the Division of Trade and Consumer Protection. She says before any work is done make sure you get every guarantee you need from your contractor. Make sure you get the agreement in writing and it has all the details about when the job is going to start, what materials are going to be used, and how much it is going to cost. Also ask if subcontractors are going to be used, when you have to make payments, and when the job will be complete. Reinen says also make sure you request and get lien waivers from the contractor, subcontractors, and suppliers. Home Improvements were number three on the department’s list of Top Ten complaints received last year.
FLOOD INSURANCE AWARENESS WEEK
Governor Evers proclaimed this week as Flood Insurance Awareness Week in Wisconsin to recognize our state’s increasing flood risk and the importance of having appropriate insurance coverage. Most homeowners and renters insurance policies do not cover flood damage, and on average, 40 percent of National Flood Insurance Program flood insurance claims occur outside of high-risk flood areas. Federal flood insurance is available to residents through the National Flood Insurance Program if the local community is a member of the National Flood Insurance Program. Homeowners and renters can purchase a private flood insurance policy to protect their homes and belongings if their agent sells flood coverage. Homeowners and renters are encouraged to talk to their local insurance agent or visit Flood Smart online. There is usually a 30-day waiting period before National Flood Insurance Program policies go into effect, so signing up today ensures residents have coverage in place by the time spring showers start to hit Wisconsin.
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