At 9:09 p.m. on Friday, July 9, 2021, the Dunn County Communications Center received a report of a single motorcycle crash on USH 12, east of 250th St. in Lucas township. The Dunn County Sheriff's Office and Menomonie Fire Department responded to the scene. Upon arrival, deputies located a lone unresponsive male. The preliminary investigation indicates the motorcycle was westbound on USH 12 when it struck a deer. The motorcycle operator was ejected from the motorcycle. The motorcycle operator was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The operator sustained life threatening injuries and was airlifted from the scene by mayo helicopter. The operator passed away the following day, at an Eau Claire Hospital, as a result of the injuries sustained in the crash. The crash remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office and Dunn County Medical Examiner’s Office. The name of the operator is being withheld pending family notification.

The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office is once again partnering with the National Child Safety Council in a Child Safety, Drug and Crime Prevention Educational Program. Through this program, our agency will be able to provide numerous educational materials for children pre-school and older, as well as materials on drug and crime prevention, identity theft, internet safety, and safety information for our senior citizens. These materials have been designed exclusively by the National Child Safety Council (www.nationalchildsafetycouncil.org), the largest and longest serving not-for profit organization dedicated to child safety in the nation. In order to cover the cost of these materials, we will be contacting businesses and professional and civic leaders to help financially sponsor this program. Since the National Child Safety Council is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, all contributions are tax deductible. As an acknowledgement of your support, all sponsors will be listed on the prestige page of all activity manuals and magazines. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank you in advance for your continued support and we look forward to participating in this program.

On May 19th, 2021 a Dunn County Investigator and a Menomonie Police Investigator, both assigned to the West Central Drug Task Force, were completing a drive by of a residence in the Township of Dunn. This residence is the same as where a homicide had occurred in November of 2020 and was known to law enforcement as a high traffic drug residence. As the Investigators drove by they observed a male subject, later identified as John Rose, retrieve a hatchet from a vehicle and run towards other subjects in the residence with the hatchet overhead in a threatening manner. The Investigators requested assistance and pursued the individual into the residence identifying themselves to the suspect. The suspect was found to have already struck an individual in the residence twice with the hatchet and was prepared to strike a third time when the suspect was ordered, at gunpoint, to drop his weapon to which he complied. Investigation discovered that Rose and his girlfriend Rebecca Davis had just arrived at the residence and had assaulted two other subjects in the residence before Rose returned to his truck to retrieve the hatchet. In interviewing subjects at the residence, the disagreement and subsequent assault was over past owed drug debts. Assisting officers and EMS arrived to assist at the scene. As a result, the following individuals were arrested and charged as follows: John Jeffery Rose- Held in Dunn County Jail on $10,000 cash bond, M/W 50 years of age 941.30(1) 1st-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety-Use of a Dangerous Weapon-Repeater 946.49(1)(b) Bail Jumping-Felony-Repeater 946.49(1)(a) Bail Jumping-Misdemeanor-Repeater 940.19(1) Battery Use of a Dangerous Weapon-Repeater 947.01(1) Disorderly Conduct Use of a Dangerous Weapon-Repeater Rebecca Sue Davis, F/W 44 years of age 940.19(1) Battery 946.49(1)(b) Bail Jumping-Felony 946.49(1)(a) Bail Jumping-Misdemeanor 947.01(1) Disorderly Conduct Department of Corrections Apprehension Request

As a result of a nearly three month long distribution of methamphetamine investigation, which included the serving of five search warrants throughout Dunn County, the following items were seized: Nearly 270 grams of methamphetamine 3.6 grams of cocaine 1.5 grams of psilocybin mushrooms 1 firearm A Richard Lee Skramstad, 58 years of age, has been charged with the following crimes base on his involvement and is being held at the Dunn County Jail on a $20,000 cash bond. 961.42(1) Maintain Drug Trafficking Place 961.41(1)(cm)1rManufacture/Deliver Cocaine (>1-5g) 961.41(1)(e)3 Manuf/Deliver Amphetamine(>10-50g)- 2 counts 961.41(1)(e)2 Manuf/Deliver Amphetamine(>3-10g) 961.41(1)(e)4 Manuf/Deliver Amphetamine(>50g)- 2 counts A total of eight other individuals are also under investigation based upon their involvement in the case. Agencies assisting the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office in this case are the Menomonie Police Department, West Central Drug Task Force, St. Croix Valley Drug Task Force, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the U.S. District Attorney’s Office.

MADISON, WIS. – A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictment today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Chippewa Falls Man Charged with Possessing Methamphetamine for Distribution Justin Barnard, 36, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine for distribution. The indictment alleges that he possessed the methamphetamine on November 23, 2020. If convicted, Barnard faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the West Central Drug Task Force, Menomonie Police Department, and Dunn County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus is handling the prosecution.

Shortly before 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 16, 2021, the Dunn County Communications Center received a report of a wrong-way driver travelling Westbound in the eastbound lanes of STH 29 from mile marker 66 in Chippewa County. At 8:30 p.m., the Dunn County Communications Center received a report of a head-on crash on STH 29 near mile marker 62 in the Township of Elk Mound, County of Dunn. The Dunn County Sheriff's Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin DNR, Colfax EMS, and Elk Mound Fire Department responded to the scene. Upon arrival, deputies determined there were three vehicles involved in the crash and that there were non-life threatening injuries to the occupants. The preliminary investigation indicates the wrong-way driver was operating a GMC Sierra westbound in the eastbound lanes of STH 29. There were two eastbound vehicles, a BMW and a Chevrolet Silverado that were struck head-on by the wrong-way driver. There were three reported injuries that are non-life threatening in nature. The eastbound lanes of STH 29 were shut down as a result of the crash for an hour and a half. Alcohol and/or drugs are believed to be contributing factors in the crash. The crash remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office.

At 2:48 a.m. on Sunday, January 3, 2021, the Dunn County Communications Center received a report of a single vehicle crash on CTH BB, just north of USH 12 in Menomonie township. The Dunn County Sheriff's Office and Menomonie Fire Department responded to the scene. Upon arrival, deputies located a lone unresponsive male in a 2008 Chevrolet, Envoy SUV in the field north of CTH BB. The preliminary investigation indicates the SUV was north bound on 390th St. and failed to stop for the stop sign at USH 12. The vehicle crossed USH 12 onto CTH BB, and a short time later left the roadway striking a large tree. The vehicle sustained severe front end damage from impacting the tree, and later came to rest in a cut corn field. The Dunn County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to the scene and pronounced the 24-year-old male driver, from Elk Mound, deceased at the scene. The crash remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office and the Dunn County Medical Examiner’s Office. The name of the operator is being withheld pending notification of his family.

On November 17, 2020 at approximately 3:42 PM, a homicide investigation was initiated regarding a death at N2564 440th St in Dunn Township. Dunn County Sheriff’s Deputies initially responded to the residence to check the welfare of an occupant of the residence. Deputies located a deceased adult, white, male in the residence. At that time the name of the deceased was unknown. One suspect was taken into custody at the residence after Deputies arrived. Two other suspects were taken into custody at a motel in Menomonie On November 17, 2020 at approximately 11:30 PM. An autopsy was conducted at the Ramsey County Medical examiner’s Office. The deceased was identified as Bruce E. McGuigan, age 37, of Hayward, WI. The pathologist determined the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. The deceased was known to at least one of the suspects and the incident was not random in nature. The following individuals are in custody at the Dunn County Jail and have been charged as indicated below as a result of the ongoing investigation. Ryan L. Steinhoff, age 37 - First Degree Intentional Homicide, As a Party To The Crime - Multiple counts of Bail Jumping Chad D. Turgeson, age 37 - First Degree Intentional Homicide, As a Party To The Crime Ashley A. Gunder, age 24 - First Degree Intentional Homicide, As a Party To The Crime - Multiple counts of Bail Jumping Attached are the booking photos for the above individuals. The matter remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation, Wisconsin Crime lab, Wisconsin State Patrol and the Dunn County Medical Examiner’s Office. If you have information regarding this incident, contact the Dunn County Crime Stoppers at http://dunncocrimestoppers.com/ or call 1-855-TIP-DUNN. You can also contact Investigator Mack at jmack@co.dunn.wi.us, Investigator Merryfield at rmerryfield@co.dunn.wi.us or by phone 715-232-1348. No further information is available currently.

On Saturday, October 24th, 2020, at approximately 6:00 PM the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office along with Colfax Ambulance and Colfax Fire Department, were dispatched to a one vehicle roll-over with unknown injuries, in the 7700 block of County Highway M in the Town of Colfax. The initial crash investigation shows that a Subaru SUV was northbound on County Highway M when the driver of the vehicle lost control while negotiating a curve, causing the vehicle to roll over mutliple times. The driver was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Colfax Ambulance, Colfax Fire and Life Link helicopter personnel attempted life saving measures but were unsuccesful. The Dunn County Medical Examiners Office responded to the scene and pronounced the driver deceased. The crash remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office along the Dunn County Medical Examiners Office. The driver’s name is not being released at this time pending notification of family.

On October 20, 2020, about 2:06 PM the Dunn County Communications Center received a report of a 2 vehicle accicident with personal injury and road blockage on STH 25 south of 550th St in the Village of Wheeler. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Boyceville Police Department, Boyceville Fire Department, and Colfax Ambulance responded to the scene. The initial crash investigation shows that a 2007 Chrysler Sebring operated by 27 YOA female was southbound on STH 25 and a 2015 Ford F350 operated by a 50 YOA male was northbound on STH 25. The Sebring began to loose control and started to slide back and forth in the road way. The sebring crossed the centerline and was stuck on the passengerside by the F350. Upon arrival of law enforcement the operator of the Sebring was unresponsive and trapped in the vehicle. She was extricated from the vehicle and Colfax Ambulance personnel attempted life saving measures but were unsuccesful. The Dunn County Medical Examiners Office responded to the scene and pronounced her deceased. Initial investigation shows that road conditions due to the heavey snow, combined with the conditions of the tires on the Sebring and speed were contributing factors in the crash. The crash remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office along the Dunn County Medical Examiners Office. Names will not be released at this time pending notification of family.

On October 19, 2020, about 2:27 PM the Dunn County Communications Center received a report of a car that had struck an grain auger being towed by a tractor on STH 29 near 270th St in the Town of Lucas. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash. There was minor injury and road blockage. The initial crash investigation shows that a 2013 Ford Fusion operated by 25 YOA female was westbound on STH 29 and came up behind a tractor pulling a 61’ grain auger (operated by a 54 YOA male) and struck the back of the auger. The farm equipment was displaying a slow moving vehicle sign. The driver of the car reported that her footwear interfered with her pedal operatation during the crash. However, it is apparent that a contributing factor in the crash is how quickly the distance closed between the female’s vehicle traveling at hwy speed and the slow moving farm vehicle. The purpose of this press release is to remind the motoring public that the fall is a busy time for local farmers on the roads. There is a lot of extra traffic of large, slow moving farm equipment on the roadways. Please remember that your vehicle traveling at 55 MPH will very quickly close the gap between you and a farm implement that generally operate 15-25 MPH. Also, motorists should pay attention to farm vehicles turning into unexpected driveways. We would like to remind you that WI Statue 346.09 (3)(b) prohibits passing a farm vehicle (implement of husbandry or Ag CMV) in a no passing zone even though that vehicle is traveling less than half the posted speed limit. The crash remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office.

On October 11th, 2020 a traffic stop conducted by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office K9 unit led to the seizure of over 341grams of methamphetamine, scale, packing material, oxcodone, suboxone, a handgun and counterfit money. K9 Rip and his handler were instrumental in this seizure. Rip was purchased and he and his handler were trained utilizing funds donated by community members and businesses. This traffic stop was the culmination of a nearly year long investigation into the distribution of drugs into Dunn County and other Western Wisconsin locations. This investigation was a collaborative effort of the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Memomonie Police Department and the West Central Drug Task Force. Arrested as a result of the traffic stop and investigation was 25 year old Cassandra P. Davis-Suchla of rural Menomonie. Suchla had her initial appearance in Dunn County Court on Monday and is being held on a $15,000 cash bond.