Top Stories August 9th

Republican Recall Elections Today

8/9/11 - Democrats are looking to flip the majority in the state Senate in today’s recall elections by winning at least three of the six districts up for grabs. Of the six seats, the districts occupied by Randy Hopper and Luther Olson are considered most contested. Voters in Waupun and the rest of the 18th District will determine whether Jessica King is able to oust Hopper to gain control of the Fond du Lac area district while Representative Fred Clark is challenging Olson in his central Wisconsin Senate district. Record breaking funding has been poured into the recalls by campaign sponsors on both sides of the aisle, and by groups based both in Wisconsin and out of state. Polls are open from 7am to 8pm. Next Tuesday people will head to the polls for recall elections against two Democrats.

Stabbing Suspect Has DPA Revoked

8/9/11 - A Horicon teen accused of stabbing a neighbor is also looking at jail time in an unrelated crime. Cory J. Frederiksen, who celebrated his 18th birthday yesterday (Mon) in a cell at the Dodge County Jail, entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with prosecutors back in February for burglarizing a home and business in Mayville last year. As part of the agreement, Frederiksen was placed on probation and would have avoided jail time if he stayed out of trouble. Three months later, authorities say he entered his next door neighbor’s house while she was getting breakfast. She returned a short time later and Frederiksen allegedly attacked her, stabbing her repeatedly. The woman was left with a fractured skull and deep skin lacerations, among other injuries. She fought back and bloodied her attacker before he fled the scene. Frederickson and his father were on their way to the hospital when police stopped them and took the teen into custody. As far as the burglary case, a pre-sentencing investigation was ordered yesterday by the judge and sentencing is scheduled in October. Frederiksen has an arraignment hearing on the Attempted Homicide charges this morning (8:30am) and according to court records from yesterday’s revocation hearing, the teen is expected to plead “Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity” in the stabbing. A fund has been set up for the victim Candia Rehse – a longtime community volunteer – at all Horicon Bank locations.

Corrections Officer Charged With Smuggling

8/9/11 - A Corrections Officer in Waupun is accused of smuggling various items inside the institution for a prisoner. Patricia Kok is charged with Delivering Illegal Articles to an Inmate, a felony that carries a maximum penalty of up to three-and-a-half years in prison if she’s convicted. The 46-year-old is said to have brought culinary magazines and clothes to the inmate in the Waupun Correctional Institution, where the two worked in the Food Service Area. Kok is also said to have engaged in phone sex with the prisoner and provide him with money to obtain a lawyer to re-open his case. Kok reportedly told investigators that she knew it was wrong but wanted to help him make plans for school when he gets out. A signature bond was set at $1000 yesterday and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for later this month.

Fox Lake Man Charged With OWI Causing Injury

8/9/11 - A Fox Lake man is accused of injuring a passenger in a drunken driving accident. Justin C. Glanz was allegedly driving 90mph on Ireland Road in the Town of Fox Lake on June 5 when he failed to negotiate a curve and left the roadway, struck an embankment and vaulted into the air. His vehicle then crossed both lanes of Highway 33 before coming to rest 100 yards into a corn field. The 23-year-old was picked-up alongside the road about an hour later and had a preliminary breath test over twice the legal limit for driving at point-one-eight. Authorities didn’t know about the accident for several hours when the sheriff spotted the vehicle in the cornfield. Glanz initially denied that he had passengers but a friend admitted to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries was eventually connected to the accident. If he’s convicted, the charge carries a maximum sentence of two years, but because he has a previous conviction for Second Degree Reckless Endangerment he could have another four years added with a loss of driver’s license for up to another four years. Glanz has court activity on the calendar again next month.

Sun Prairie Man Gets Sixth OWI In Dodge County

8/9/11 - A Sun Prairie man was arrested for Sixth Offense OWI in Dodge County around noon on Saturday. Authorities say Robert Harris was stopped near Oak Grove at the intersection of State Highway 26 and County Highway A. The deputy says his first indication that the driver was impaired came when he apparently stopped at the “stop ahead” sign instead of the actual “stop” sign. The 40-year-old then proceeded southbound on Highway 26 to the intersection of State Highway 60 and appeared to want to make a right-hand turn. Because it was a T-intersection, he could only make a left turn and that’s when the deputy initiated the traffic stop. Harris allegedly had a blood alcohol level of point one-nine-nine (.199). Because the legal limit for a driver with five previous OWI convictions is point zero-two (.02), his blood level was technically ten times the legal limit for driving. During the arrest, his intoxicated passenger accused the deputy of “harassing a good driver and not stopping the real drunk drivers.” Sixth offense OWI carries a minimum jail term of six months and a maximum of six years as well as fines between $600 - $10,000, and license revocation of two to three years. Should the drivers Blood Alcohol Concentration come back in excess of point-one-seven (.17), the fines can be doubled. Harris has five previous OWI convictions dating back to 1992 with the most recent in 2003.

Milwaukee Man Accused of Beating Child Over Squirt Gun

8/9/11 - A Milwaukee man could spend up to six years in prison because he allegedly beat a young teenager who squirted him with a water gun. Joey L. Follett is charged with felony Physical Abuse of a Child for the incident in Lomira on June 10. The 30-year-old was reportedly drinking when the youngster squirted water in his ear. Follett said that was his “bad ear” then allegedly grabbed the kid by his neck, threw him on the ground bloodying his nose and then kicked him three to four times in the stomach. Follett denied the incident to investigators but reportedly texted the child’s mother a short time later and called it a “minor” confrontation and said the kid should listen more. A signature bond was set at $1000 and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for next month.

Columbus School Board Looks at Facilities

8/9/11 - The Columbus School Board approved a plan to identify the buildings in the district that need maintenance and to convene a facilities committee proposing options for the future. The administration and school board will be inviting interested taxpayers in the district for input in a September mailing. Before convening the committee, the district will get an architect’s facilities assessment done, have a UW student population study completed and listen to two financial projection reports. The district will then invite the public to sit on or attend the committee meetings. The seven public committee meetings will be held November 2011 through March 2012.

Golfers Help Assault Victim

8/9/11 - More details have been released about a group of golfers who left their game to help a couple who were being robbed and attacked in Madison. Police say 40-year-old Shawn A. Strunk allegedly forced his way into the home of Bob and Barbara Meyer. After he attempted to assault her, Barbara ran for help. Blair Andresen, Jim Troia and Mike Lane left their golf game at Odana Hills Golf Course when they heard her screams. The men managed to capture Strunk and hold him down until police arrived.