CRIME & SAFETY

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAW) - The Stevens Point Fire Department is investigating the cause of a fire at a downtown business Tuesday morning. Crews were called to the 900 block of Clark St. around 6:30 a.m. for a report of a fire in the building that houses Galaxy Comics and The Big Garlic Restaurant. When crews arrived, residents from the second-story apartments were evacuating the building. Fire crews searched the building and found a small fire near a dryer in The Big Garlic. Fire crews were able to put out the fire and wrap things up in less than an hour.

NEKOOSA, Wis. (WSAW) - Humke Elementary School was evacuated Tuesday morning following after a threat was made by a student. Port Edwards Police Chief Scott Drew said at 7:45 a.m., it was reported to police that a third-grade student riding a school bus was overheard talking about bringing a “bomb” to school.

On Monday September 18, 2023 the Wood County Sheriff’s Department along with the Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force executed a search warrant in the Town of Rudolph in Wood County. In total three adults were taken into custody after quantities of suspected fentanyl, methamphetamine, marijuana, and prescription medications were...

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (WSAW) - For EMTs, fire departments, and police departments, the best way to learn is to practice. The Wood County Local Planning Committee and the Wisconsin Emergency Management hosted a Hazardous Material Training Exercise at ERCO Worldwide in Port Edwards. The Wisconsin Rapid Fire Chief says it’s...

A 36-year-old Stevens Point man will spend at least 15 years in prison for the shaking death of his former girlfriend’s infant son, who died in 2020. Meyer P. Willkom was convicted by a jury in June of first-degree reckless homicide in connection with the 6-month-old boy’s death. The trial lasted eight days before jurors delivered a verdict, following four hours of deliberation.

RUDOLPH, Wis. (WJFW) - The Wood County Sheriff’s Department and the Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force arrested three adults in the town of Rudolph for possession of fentanyl, methamphetamine, marijuana, and prescription medications. They also found child abuse in the home as four children were forced to live in...

This week in Weston, Wisconsin, there were two notable incidents. The first incident involved a Port Edwards man who was sentenced to 18 months in prison for crashing his vehicle while intoxicated. The crash occurred on Schofield Avenue and resulted in significant damage to the vehicle. The second incident was a traffic crash involving a semi-truck and a parked car. Unfortunately, a medical emergency in the area also resulted in a non-suspicious death.

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WAOW -WSAU)– Workers at the Stevens Point Sentry facility will work remotely next week due to threats against the facility. In an email statement sent to News 9 by an official with Sentry said “We continue to work closely with the Stevens Point Police Department to investigate this matter and bring the investigation to a close. However, our current understanding is that the investigation will not be complete when the work week begins. For that reason and out of an abundance of caution, we will continue to ask most associates to work remotely next week, September 25-29. We do feel comfortable allowing small groups to work in and around Stevens Point facilities with the increased security measures we have added. Your manager will be in touch with you if he/she feels you are needed in the office.”

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI (WSAU-WAOW) — Police in Wisconsin Rapids say there was no evidence of any gunshots near Mead Elementary School on Friday after teachers reported hearing “pops” while students were having recess. WAOW TV reports that the district immediately brought everyone back inside and the day...

This week in Wood County, Wisconsin, there were three incidents that occurred. A Wisconsin Rapids man was sentenced to 60 days in jail for a hit-and-run incident that injured a woman. An Arpin man pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to hire someone to kill two corrections officers. Lastly, a Marshfield man was arrested for physically assaulting two women.

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - The Wood County Local Emergency Planning Committee in collaboration with Wisconsin Emergency Management will host a hazardous material training exercise at ERCO Worldwide on Sept. 26 from 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.. It will involve 6 local agencies. Police, fire and EMS personnel will be on the...

TOWN OF RUDOLPH, Wis. (WSAW) - The Wood County Sheriff’s Department and Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force arrested three people after they conducted a search warrant in a home in the Town of Rudolph on Sept. 18. According to a Facebook post, authorities found and seized undisclosed amounts of...

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI (WSAU) — A Wood County jail inmate has entered a plea for charges of solicitation of intentional homicide. Jesse Hansen-Schumann entered a not guilty plea on Thursday. Investigators believe he was plotting to kill two Wood County correctional officers because they had previously held him accountable for disciplinary infractions. According to the complaint Hansen-Schumann had filed more than 40 grievances against the officers, saying they were making up lies about him.

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAW) - According to a spokesperson at Sentry Insurance, a threatening message was found in the bathroom at the Sentry Home Office. Sentry’s Director of Media Relations Carolyn Schamberger said Sentry’s security team contacted the Stevens Point Police Department and will continue to work with them on the investigation of the incident. The spokesperson said because of the incident, they felt it was best to secure all buildings and ask most of its staff to work remotely for the rest of the week. Those who worked in the office did so with increased security measures to help them feel secure.

In late June 2023, the Wood County Sheriff's Office initiated an investigation following a report from the Lake Fork Special Utilities District regarding a suspected theft. The report alleged that Rachel Sneed, an employee hailing from Mineola, was involved in the embezzlement of around $40,000 from the Utility District. The case was transferred to the Criminal Investigations Division for further examination.

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (WSAW) - Poor living conditions for children of addicts is something the Wood County Sheriff’s Department says they’re seeing way too often. Just this week, four children were found in a drug raid in Rudolph north of Wisconsin Rapids. The case was a wake-up call...

This week in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, there were three incidents that occurred. The first incident involved an assault at Polito's Pizza on Main Street, where a man in a white shirt punched another man three times, causing facial swelling and a chipped tooth. The second incident resulted in a 36-year-old man being sentenced to 15 years in prison for the death of his girlfriend's 6-month-old baby. The third incident involved a 63-year-old man being convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison for repeatedly sexually assaulting a child.

A man arrested after the execution of a search warrant in Wood County appeared in Wood County Court on Wednesday. Back on July 12th, the Wood County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant in the Village of Biron, Wood County, and quantities of suspected Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Marijuana were seized from inside the residence.

Hokah, MN (KROC-AM News)- A motorcyclist was brought to a hospital after crashing in southeast Minnesota Tuesday evening. The crash happened along Hwy. 26 in Houston County between La Crescent and Brownsville. The State Patrol responded to it shortly before 7:45 p.m. The state crash report indicates the motorcycle was...

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has named DNR Conservation Warden Lt. Bryan Lockman as the Warden of the Year for 2022. This award, also known as the Haskell Noyes Efficiency Award, is the top honor for a state conservation warden. It acknowledges leadership in conservation law enforcement programs, combining enforcement, education, and community involvement.