Current Stories

Burglary in Viola - Soldiers Grove man arrested

On 08/07/2019 the Richland County Sheriff's Department took a report of a burglary that occurred some time during the overnight hours.  It was reported someone had entered the Shear Bliss Beauty Salon at 119 W Commercial St. in the village of Viola. 
   A joint investigation by the Sheriff's Department and the Viola Police Department showed entry was made to the building and cash along with other items were taken.  Evidence collected at the scene led investigators to speak with Zach Alexander, age 21 of Soldiers Grove.  Alexander was contacted and admitted to the burglary. 
   Alexander was arrested and is currently in the Richland County Jail on a felony burglary and theft charge .  The case has been referred to the Richland County District Attorney's Office.

Tractor rolls-over pinning driver

Richland County, WI - On 8/7/19 at 3:33pm Richland Co Sheriff's Dispatch received a 911 call stating there was a tractor roll over on St Hwy 80 south near Joe Miller Lane.  Richland CO Sheriffs Deputies, Richland Center Police, Richland Fire & EMS all responded. 
   The tractor was located in the west ditch, upside down at a driveway culvert pipe.  Norman Putz, age 81 of RC, had been using the tractor to mow the ditch line using a 3 point mower.  As he attempted to mow around the culvert, the tractor overturned, landing upside down in the ditch with Mr Putz underneath it. 
   Putz was extricated from under the tractor by the Richland Center Fire Dept. with assistance of Wegner Towing.  Norman Putz was transported to the Richland Hospital with a possible injury.  A WI DNR Warden assisted Richland County Officials at the scene.

Throwing a beer can out the window was the only
thing this driver wasn't charged with

On July 10, 2019 at approximately 8:00pm the Crawford County Communications Center received information from the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office about a traffic complaint they received about a 1995 Ford Thunderbird traveling southbound on State Highway 35 in the Desoto area. The caller stated the vehicle was driving all over the road and that a beer can was thrown out the window. A deputy of the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office began responding to the area.
   At approximately 8:15pm the Crawford County Communications Center received a report that the aforementioned vehicle had crashed on State Highway 35, just south of Carter Way Road, in the Township of Seneca. The responding deputy located a male subject, later identified as Ronald L. White Jr., 44, of La Crosse, WI walking approximately one-quarter of a mile south of the crash scene. The deputy made contact with White and asked if he was involved in a crash. White denied being involved in a traffic crash. However, the deputy observed White bleeding from his arm and detained him for the investigation.
   The crash investigation determined the Ford Thunderbird was traveling southbound on State Highway 35 when it drove into the shoulder of the southbound lane then over-corrected, causing the vehicle to make an abrupt left turn into the northbound lane of traffic and then into a concrete barrier along the northbound lane. Following the impact with the concrete barrier, the vehicle struck the guardrail along the southbound lane before coming to rest facing north.
   On scene, the deputy made contact with Danny R. Hall, 52, of La Crosse, WI. Hall stated he was a passenger in the vehicle and that White was the driver. Two witnesses on scene also stated White was the driver. White admitted to drug use and drinking alcoholic beverages prior to the crash. A marijuana smoking device and a small amount of marijuana was found on his person. White was transported to Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI for further medical evaluation where he was charged with 3rd offense operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of a restricted controlled substance. White remained in the medical care of Gundersen Lutheran throughout the night. The following morning, at 8:42am, White was discharged from the hospital then taken into custody and transported to the Crawford County Jail for booking procedures.
   White was charged with 3rd offense operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of a restricted controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was also issued citations for no insurance, reckless driving, operating left of center and obstructing an officer.
   Assisting on scene was Tri-State EMS, Seneca First Responders, Seneca Fire Department and Milo’s Towing.

Male Falls Off Moving Vehicle

On June 29, 2019, at approximately 3:18 pm, Grant County Sheriff's Office responded to N Grand St near the intersection of W Sampson St., in Livingston for an injured male who had fallen from a moving vehicle.
   Isaac X Albaugh, age 17, of Linden, was operating a 1998 Jeep Wrangler northbound on N Grand St near W Sampson St when he lost control of the vehicle in the gravel. There were six total passengers in the vehicle, including Albaugh, a 15 year old female from Montfort, a 17 year old male from Livingston, a 16 year old female from Livingston, a 16 year old female from Platteville, and Dalton O Seyfferth, age 17, of Dodgeville.
   Seyfferth was not seated in the vehicle, but standing on the rear bumper of the vehicle and holding onto the roll bars, as the vehicle was in motion. Albaugh lost control of the vehicle and Seyfferth was unable to maintain grip and balance and fell off the rear of the vehicle, landing on the roadway.
   Seyfferth lost consciousness and suffered major injuries. The victim was transported to Upland Hills Health, Dodgeville, and air lifted to UW-Madison from there.  Assisting Grant County Sheriff's Office on scene was Livingston First Responders and Montfort EMS. This crash remains under investigation.

One vehicle crashes into two parked vehicles,
one residence bedroom and one garage.

On 26, June 2019 at approximately 11:40 p.m., the Grant County Sheriff's Office received multiple 911 calls of a vehicle crashing into a house.
   When deputies arrived on scene, they discovered James H. Steines (28 of Mt. Hope) had been traveling east on Canal Street in Bloomington in a 2008 Chevrolet Uplander Van (owned by Rachel M. Silvers, 30 of Boscobel). Steines crashed into a legally parked 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, leased by Karen M. Ploessl (47 of Bloomington.)
   The crash was at such a high rate of speed, it pushed the Malibu approximately 40 feet off
Canal Street into a legally parked 2005 Chevrolet Silverado K1500 owned by Robert F. Johnstone (54 of Bloomington). The Silverado received heavy damage and was pushed into a garage. Steines' vehicle crashed into a guardrail that had been installed to protect the residence. The residence, owned by Norbert C. Moore (82 of Bloomington), received heavy damage as a result of the guardrail being pushed through a bedroom wall where the occupants were sleeping.
   The Chevrolet Malibu and Chevrolet Uplander were totaled. Steines admitted to traveling between 75 and 80 mph in a 25 mph zone. Steines was arrested for operating a motor vehicle with a detectable amount of a controlled substance, possession of a prescription medication without a prescription, and cited for 75 mph in a 25 mph zone, failure to have control, and operating a motor vehicle without insurance. Assisting at the scene was the West Grant Rescue Squad, Bloomington Fire Department and B&M Towing of Bloomington.

MWN

MWN