TOWN OF DUNN - April 5, 2025 - 11:53 PM - A Dunn County Sheriff's Deputy attempted to stop a motorcycle for excessive speed on Highway 25 southbound leaving the vicinity of Downsville, WI. The motorcycle accelerated to speeds in excess of 100 MPH and refused to stop for the deputy. The pursuit lead southbound into Pepin County where the deputy was able to see the license plate on the motorcycle as it turned onto US Highway 10 West. Due to the excessive speeds and the deputy obtained the license plate, the pursuit was terminated for safety of the occupant and the community. Deputies conducted follow-up investigation and on April 6, 2025, arrested 21 year-old Alexander William Wuorenma of Shell Lake, Wisconsin. He was booked into the Dunn County Jail. The following charges were referred to the Dunn County District Attorney: Operator Felony Flee/Elude Officer Resist/Obstruct an Officer with Intent to Mislead Misdemeanor Bail Jumping Wuorenma was also issued traffic citations for illegal muffler, speeding, reckless driving, passing in a no-passing zone, operating left of center, and operating a motorcycle without a class M license.

ELK MOUND, WI – April 8, 2025 – 8:23 A.M. – A Dunn County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop in the Village of Elk Mound near the intersection of Highway 12 and Juniper Street. The driver, who claimed he had traveled to Elk Mound to purchase laundry detergent, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol. Deputies administered field sobriety tests and continued their investigation, ultimately leading to later preliminary breath test (PBT) result of 0.234 BrAC. The driver was found to be restricted to a .02 BAC limit and required to operate a vehicle only with an ignition interlock device due to prior offenses. The driver was identified as Brian Matthew Brunner, age 55, of Menomonie, WI. He was arrested and booked into the Dunn County Jail, pending a bond hearing scheduled for April 9, 2025. The following charges will be referred to the Dunn County District Attorney’s Office:  WI SS 346.63(1)(a) – Operating While Under the Influence (5th Offense)  WI SS 347.413(1) – Operating a Vehicle Without Required Ignition Interlock Device  WI SS 343.44(1)(b) – Operating After License Revocation The location of the traffic stop was in close proximity to school bus routes and within a few blocks of local schools—areas frequently traveled by our community’s youth. This incident serves as a sobering reminder that impaired driving can occur at any time and underscores the ongoing importance of highway safety and enforcement efforts to protect all members of our community. Sheriff Kevin Bygd

DATE OF RELEASE: March 29th, 2025 INCIDENT #: 25-00449 SUBJECT: Fatal Hit and Run Crash AUTHORIZED BY: Sheriff Kevin Bygd FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ----------------------------------------------------------------------- On Saturday, March 29th, 2025, at approximately 7:14 am, the Dunn County Communication Center received a 911 call reporting a female lying in the ditch that appeared to have been struck by a vehicle on County Highway Y, between 330th Ave and 370th Ave, in the Town of Dunn, Dunn County, Wisconsin. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Menomonie Fire Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, responded to the scene. Upon arrival, a woman was located just off of the roadway with fatal injuries. The Dunn County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to the scene and pronounced the victim deceased. Information was received about the location of the possible striking vehicle and operator. Immediate follow up was conducted and the vehicle involved was located. The 17 year old female operator of the striking vehicle was subsequently arrested for OWI 1st Offense, Hit and Run Causing Death, Homicide by Intoxicated Use of a Motor Vehicle as well as additional traffic offenses. The crash remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, the Wisconsin State Patrol and the Dunn County Medical Examiner’s Office. The name of the victim is being withheld pending notifications to the family. Sheriff Kevin Bygd

Earlier this week during the Wisconsin Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Graduation Ceremony & Awards Banquet which took place at the Wisconsin Traffic Safety Officers Association  Annual Training Conference, Dunn County Deputy Sheriff Logan Bauer Officer was recognized for graduating from the 2024 DRE Program. As an IACP certified Drug Recognition Expert (DRE), deputies are able to properly recognize and articulate when drivers are impaired by drugs, whether illegal, prescription, over-the-counter, or a combination of drugs and alcohol.  To become a Drug Recognition Expert, Officers must complete an intensive, multi-week certification program which is fully funded by the Wisconsin Bureau of Traffic Safety. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office is fortunate to have three deputies certified as Drug Recognition Experts who are called upon to assist our local law enforcement partners to assist with impaired driving investigations. Deputy Bauer recognized for successful graduation from the 2024 IACP Drug Recognition Program.

Around 2:30 AM on February 19, 2025, a Sheriff's deputy was on patrol when he stopped a vehicle for an equipment violation and suspicious driving behavior on North Broadway St. near Elm Avenue in the City of Menomonie. Deputies noticed drug paraphernalia in the car while contacting the driver and the vehicle was subsequently searched. After locating numerous illegal substances in the vehicle, the driver was arrested and transported to the Dunn County Jail. The charges that were forwarded to the District Attorney's Office included: Manufacture/Deliver Psilocin >100-500g Possess Methamphetamine Possess THC Possession w/ Intent to Deliver Fentanyl Possess Drug Paraphernalia Operate without Valid Driver's License The driver was held at the jail and is scheduled to appear in front of a judge for a bond hearing.

On February 5th, 2025, shortly after 7 am, the Dunn County Communication Center received a call of a SUV that had rear ended a school bus near the intersection of Cty Tk E and 998th St in the Town of Spring Brook, Dunn County, Wisconsin. The Elk Mound School District school bus, was stopped in the roadway facing east, with red lights flashing and stop arm extended, picking up students, when it was struck from behind by an eastbound SUV. There were 18 students on the bus as well as students approaching the bus to board at the time of the crash. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries to students or drivers involved the crash. Through investigation of the crash, the operator of the SUV that rear ended the bus, was arrested for operating under the influence. The operator was identified as 33 year old, Ashley Harp, from Eau Claire. The crash remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office.

On Saturday, January 18th, 2025 shortly before 5am, the Dunn County Communications Center received calls from passing motorists on I-94 of a building on fire. The location provided was Shooters Showgirls, on 850th St. in the Town of Elk Mound. Upon arrival the building was fully involved. Elk Mound Fire along with Menomonie Fire, Colfax Fire, Rock Creek Fire, Sand Creek Fire, Township Fire, Chippewa Fire District, Weaton Fire, Boyceville Fire, Bloomer Fire and Colfax Rescue worked to put out the fire. At this time, the cause and origin of the fire remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office and Elk Mound Fire Dept. If anyone has any information related to this case or if you observed any vehicles parked in the immediate area between 2am and 5am this morning, please contact the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office at 715-232-1348. Information can also be provided anonymously through the dunncocrimestoppers.com website or the P3 Mobile Tips app. Updated information: 1-21-25 The structure fire at Shooters Showgirls has been determined to be an arson. Deputies and investigators continued to review video evidence and follow up on leads throughout the weekend. This morning investigators interviewed Colton Jansen from Comstock WI. Colton admitted to his involvement in the case. He was taken into custody with the assistance from Investigators of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

On Saturday, January 20th, 2025 at 7:31 pm, the Dunn County Communications Center received a complaint of a wrong way driver travelling westbound in the eastbound lanes of Highway 29 in Elk Mound Township. A Dunn County Deputy encountered the suspect vehicle traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes between the 29/94 and 29/40 interchanges. The Deputy turned around and attempted to stop the vehicle and warn oncoming traffic of the danger. The vehicle failed to respond to the squads light or siren. The vehicle continued eastbound in the wrong lane of traffic before turning southbound on 850th Street and pulling into an adjacent parking lot. Contact was made with the operator, identified as 56 year old Mark R. Prieve of rural Elk Mound. Prieve refused Field Sobriety Exercises but submitted to a Preliminary Breath Test with a result of .329, four times the legal limit. Prieve was placed under arrest for OMVWI- 5th Offence and cited for Operating after Revocation, Fleeing an Officer, Driving Wrong Way on Divided Highway and Failure to Have an Interlock Ignition Device Installed. Prieve was on probation from a previous Felony OMVWI conviction and is currently being held at the Dunn County Jail on a probation hold and a $25,000 cash bond.

The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office will be holding a short gathering for Correctional Officer Jeffrey Reynolds, who was tragically killed in a traffic crash while on his way to work on December 24th, 2024. We will be gathering on Wednesday, January 1st at 6:30pm, with a moment of silence and reading at approximately 6:45pm, outside the Dunn County Judicial Center located at 615 Stokke Pkwy, Menomonie, WI 54751. The gathering will be open to Corrections, Law Enforcement and the public to show support for Officer Reynolds. For information related to parking please visit www.dunncountysheriff.com/officerreynolds

PRESS RELEASE     DATE OF RELEASE:            December 12th, 2024                 INCIDENT #:                         D24-02004                    SUBJECT:                              Train vs. SUV Crash with Injury          AUTHORIZED BY:              Sheriff Kevin Bygd     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -----------------------------------------------------------------------     On December 12th, 2024, at approximately 3:16 PM, the Dunn County Communication Center was notified of a train vs. car crash at the railroad crossing near the intersection of 970th St and US Hy 12 in the Village of Elk Mound, Dunn County, Wisconsin. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Elk Mound Police, Elk Mound Fire, Colfax Rescue, and Eau Claire Ambulance responded to the scene.   Preliminary investigation shows the driver of a southbound SUV, failed to yield right of way from the stop sign at the railroad crossing, causing the collision on the passenger side of the SUV, with the eastbound train. The SUV had three occupants inside. The driver of the SUV was flown from the scene by Mayo Helicopter. The two juveniles in the vehicle were transported to the hospital by private vehicle. This crash remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office and Elk Mound Police Department.     Sheriff Kevin Bygd Dunn County, Wisconsin PRESS RELEASE UPDATE     DATE OF RELEASE:            December 26, 2024                   INCIDENT #:                         D24-02004                    SUBJECT:                              [Updated]  – Train vs. SUV Fatal Crash          AUTHORIZED BY:              Sheriff Kevin Bygd     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -----------------------------------------------------------------------     The operator of the vehicle involved in this crash was transported to a local hospital following the crash.  On December 23, 2024, the Dunn County Medical Examiner’s Office reported that the operator died at the hospital due to complications from injuries suffered in the crash.  The operator was identified as 80 year-old Gregory Allen Nerbovig of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.     Sheriff Kevin Bygd Dunn County, Wisconsin     Attachments:  December 12, 2024 Press Release (Original)

On February 15, 1974, Mary K. Schlais was found deceased near the intersection of 408th Ave. and 990th St. in the Township of Spring Brook, Dunn County. Mary’s death at that time was ruled a homicide. The initial investigation revealed that Mary was from Minneapolis, MN and was believed to be hitch- hiking from Minneapolis, MN to an art show in Chicago, IL. There was an eye-witness that observed a suspect and suspect vehicle that were believed to be connected to the homicide of Mary Schlais. Over the course of the next several decades there were many tips, leads, and interviews conducted related to this homicide by multiple law enforcement agencies. There were also several items of evidence examined and re-examined over the years as technological advances in DNA were developed. Still, no viable suspects were identified. In recent years, Dunn County Sheriff’s Office Investigators began working with Ramapo College in Mahwah, New Jersey and their team of Genetic Genealogists. Through investigative genetic genealogy a viable suspect was identified. On November 7, 2024 Dunn County Sheriff’s Office Investigators arrested Jon K. Miller (84) of Owatonna, MN for the homicide of Mary K. Schlais. Jon Miller is in custody and awaiting extradition back to Wisconsin. Sheriff Kevin Bygd

On July 17, 2024, at approximately 10:46 AM, the Dunn County Communication Center received a 911 call, of a semi truck that was involved in a crash with an SUV.   The crash occurred on 710th St at 240th Ave in the Town of Spring Brook in Dunn County.  The caller reported that the driver of the SUV was not responding.    The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, the Menomonie Fire Department, WI State Patrol and Dunn County First Responders responded to the scene.   Upon arrival Deputies and EMS crews discovered the lone occupant of the SUV no longer had a pulse and life-saving efforts were attempted but he could not be revived.      The Dunn County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to the scene and pronounced the driver of the SUV deceased.   Preliminary investigation shows that a loaded log truck was traveling eastbound on 240th ave, and the SUV operated by a 77 YOA male was southbound on 710th St.  There was a stop sign on 710th St at the intersection that the SUV did not stop at and continued into the intersection where he was struck.   The operator of the SUV was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.   The driver of the semi was not injured.     The crash remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, WI State Patrol and the Dunn County Medical Examiner’s Office.   The name of the SUV driver is being withheld pending notification to the family.   Sheriff Kevin Bygd