Law Enforcement

_ August 16 - While investigating a suspicious person in Abbotsford, an officer discovered a small ziploc bag containing brown and green leafy substance on the ground. The bag was found while the officer was returning to his patrol vehicle after completing his investigation. The officer recovered the bag and determined its contents to be marijuana. The officer then took possession of the bag and transported it to the Colby-Abbotsford Police Department, where it was properly sealed and stored before its destruction.

_ August 17 - Two officers were dispatched to an Abbotsford business after receiving a call from an employee stating that two individuals were “jumping” a third. As the two officers dispatched were in Neillsville at the time of the call, they were advised that additional officers from the Clark County Sheriff’s office and two Marathon County deputies would also be reporting to the scene.

The two officers spoke with the Clark county deputy upon arriving at the scene, who told them that the individuals that had been described in the report had all left the area prior to the deputy’s arrival. The Marathon county deputies had checked the area, but were not able to locate the individuals.

The dispatched officers then spoke with the employee who had made the call reporting the suspicious activity. During their conversation, the employee stated that an older male individual had come into the store earlier in the day and made a purchase. However, after making this purchase, the individual left and came back into the store seven different times throughout the day. Later that evening, the employee stated that she saw two other younger male individuals outside of the store with the first and said that all three were acting strange. The first then came back into the store while one of the other two was observed pacing back and forth near the front door outside of the store. A few minutes later after the involved individuals left, two other customers came into the store and told the employee that the older male individual was being “jumped” by the other two. It was at this point that the employee called 911.

The employee said that the younger individuals left in a dark SUV and the older male had left on foot, heading west. The employee did not know any of those involved and the Colby-Abbotsford Police Department has not received any calls from the first individual looking to report the incident.

_ August 17 - Two officers were sent to an Abbotsford residence in an attempt to bring an individual into custody for two felony warrants. The officers spoke with a male who identified themselves as the individual in question and at that point the officers asked him why he had not shown up to court for his open cases. The individual stated that he was unaware that he was supposed to go to court and it was at that point that the officers advised him that, because of his failure to appear in court, two warrants had been issued for him. After running the individual’s identifying information through Clark County dispatch and confirming the warrants, one for possession w/intent for THC and another for resisting an officer and causing substantial bodily harm, the individual was taken in and transported to Clark County jail.

_ August 17 - An officer was dispatched to a Colby residence to investigate a suspicious activity complaint. The officer spoke with the individual who had made the complaint, who stated that his mail had been taken from his mailbox and opened, before being later abandoned. The complainant stated his neighbor had discovered his mail laying on the ground of a nearby street and returned it to the complainant. The envelopes had all been opened, though the contents of said envelopes remained inside. However, the individual was concerned that his banking information may have been compromised, given the contents of the mail.

The complainant also stated that when he went back to work later that same afternoon, he noticed that all of the mailboxes on his street had been left open, as well as others along several additional streets in Colby.

The officer advised the complainant and his neighbors to call law enforcement if they see anyone looking through their mailboxes in the future.

_ August 17 - While on patrol between Abbotsford and Colby, an officer ran the plate of a vehicle and discovered that the license plate was registered to a vehicle with a different make and model to the one that he saw before him. The officer pulled the vehicle in question over and spoke with the individual driving. It was discovered that the individual did not have a driver’s license or proof of insurance for the vehicle.

The officer then asked the driver if he knew that he had the wrong license plate on the vehicle. The driver stated he was unaware of this fact. The officer then ran the vehicle identification number and the driver’s information through dispatch and discovered that the driver had a suspended driver’s license and two warrants issued by the Marshfield Police Department. The driver had failed to appear for trial for operating without a license and the total bond for both warrants was $400.

The driver stated that he could not pay for either of his warrants. It was then that the officer placed the driver under arrest and was transported to the Marshfield Police Department, where he was handed off to a Wood County deputy. The driver was issued citations for operating while suspended and displaying unauthorized vehicle registration plates, and a warning for operating a vehicle without proof of insurance.

_ August 18 - An officer was dispatched to a Colby gas station in reference to a gas drive off. After meeting with an employee, the officer learned that an individual had pumped $29.76 worth of gas but had not paid for it. The officer ran the license plate and located the phone number for the owner. He then called the owner and left a voicemail asking the individual to contact the police department and stating that follow up would be needed.

_ August 19 - While on patrol in Colby, an officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle after discovering that the registration for that vehicle came back as having expired in June of 2022. The officer spoke with the driver and found that the driver did not have a valid driver’s license, nor did he have proof of insurance for his vehicle.

The officer confirmed that the driver did not have a driver’s license and also found that he had a warrant from the Marathon County sheriff’s office for failure to appear in court for taking and driving a vehicle without consent, causing injury, operating while under the influence, and resisting or obstructing an officer. After being informed of this warrant, the driver stated that he was unaware of any such warrant, nor did he have the $100 to pay the bond amount for his warrant. It was at this point that the officer told the driver that he would be placing him under arrest.

After securing the vehicle, the officer transported the individual to a Marathon County sheriff’s office deputy and transferred custody over to the deputy. A citation for operating a motor vehicle without a valid license and warnings for having an expired/unregistered vehicle and operating a motor vehicle without insurance were issued.

_ August 19 - Two officers fielded a walk in complaint in regards to a child custody issue. The complainant stated that she is the legal guardian of her grandson and that the mother of the child has been harassing both the complainant and the complainant’s son through phone calls and texts. The complainant stated that the mother has been stating that she is going to come and take the child at some point. The complainant also stated that this a recent development and that the mother has been mostly absent for the past year, only contacting them now as it is the child’s birthday week. According to the complainant, she has no issue with the mother visiting and had invited her to the child’s birthday party. The complainant then showed the officers the paperwork from the court stating that she was the legal guardian of the child, but that the mother does not believe this to be the case.

It was at this point that the mother called the complainant and one of the officers asked if he could speak with her. The officer spoke with the mother and informed her that this was a civil matter and that she would have to contact Marathon County court to determine guardianship of the child and that excessive phone calls to the complainant were unnecessary as she felt she was being harassed. The officer then advised the complainant to contact Marathon County court to determine if her guardianship was still in effect.

Later in the afternoon, the mother’s boyfriend called the police department, asking how he might file a complaint against the officer who had spoken to the mother, at which point he was told to call back Monday during business hours.

_ August 21 - An officer was dispatched to an Abbotsford business to investigate an alarm that had been tripped. The officer and a Marathon County deputy arrived at the scene and found an unsecured door on the south side of the building. They waited until a Clark County deputy arrived to assist, and upon his arrival, they cleared the store. The officers did not find anyone nor any signs of forced entry.

Upon leaving the store, the officer attempted to secure the south door but was unable to do so. Clark County dispatch told the officer that the key holder was unable to respond but that they advised to secure the door as someone would open the store soon. The officer said that he was unable to secure the door and the officers left without incident.

_ August 22 - An officer was dispatched to Abbotsford for a traffic complaint after being advised by Clark County dispatch that a local business employee had reported two intoxicated individuals were trying to get into their vehicle. While en route to the location, the officer was told that the individuals had left and were traveling south on STH 13.

The officer continued south on STH 13 and caught up to a vehicle that matched the description of the vehicle that had been reported and observed it driving erratically, moving across the centerline and sliding into the two southbound lanes. At that point, the offi cer pulled the vehicle over.

The officer spoke to the driver and noticed that both he and the passenger had slow and slurred speech, as well as glossy and bloodshot eyes. He also noted that there was a strong odor of intoxicants coming from the inside of the vehicle.

When the officer asked if the driver had insurance for the vehicle, the driver stated that he did indeed have insurance, but when the officer asked to see the insurance, the driver placed his foot on the brake and attempted to shift his vehicle into drive. The officer stopped the driver and had him take the keys from the ignition before once again asking for insurance. This time, the driver stated that he did not have insurance.

The officer identified the driver and the passenger and dispatch advised him that the driver did not have a registered driver’s license. The officer then returned to the vehicle and asked the driver if he would conduct a field sobriety test. After conducting three standardized field sobriety tests, the officer found that the driver was unable to correctly perform the tasks as directed. The driver then consented to a preliminary breath test, the result of which was a 0.202.

The officer then placed the driver under arrest for operating while under the influence. An initial search of the driver did not reveal any contraband. The passenger was told that he could not operate the vehicle and was released from the scene. The vehicle was moved to a nearby location and secured before the driver was taken to Marshfi eld Medical Center for a blood draw after he had consented.

Upon reaching the scene, the officer conducted a search of the driver’s wallet, where a small gem style bag with a white powdery substance was discovered. The officer believed that this substance could possibly be cocaine based on his training and experience, so it was placed into an evidence bag and secured in his vehicle.

After the driver’s blood tests were administered, the driver was released to another individual who had come to the hospital to take responsibility for the driver. The driver was issued citations for operating left of center, operating without a valid license, and operating while under the influence before being released.

The officer then transferred the evidence to the Colby-Abbotsford police department, where photographs were taken and the substance was tested using a Nark II test kit. The substance tested presumptively positive for cocaine, after which it was secured and charges for possession of cocaine for the driver were requested by the officer.