MAUSTON, Wis. (AP) – Juneau County prosecutors say the man charged with fatally shooting a woman in Mauston is the victim’s ex-boyfriend. Twenty-nine-year-old Cody Treul is accused of killing Gail Howland and wounding Ebony Lasher. They were shot just after midnight Friday in a smoking area outside P.J.’s Bar and Grill. The 29-year-old Howland was pronounced dead at Hess Memorial Hospital. The 23-year-old Lasher is hospitalized in Madison. A criminal complaint says several witnesses told police they saw Treul shooting at the two women. Treul was arrested in Mauston shortly after the shooting. Treul is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and recklessly endangering safety. Treul’s attorney did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
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Ex-boyfriend charged in fatal Mauston shooting
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Sexual contact
A Necedah man has been charged with two counts of sexual assault of a child. According to the criminal complaint, earlier this year 19-year old Steven Champney allegedly had sexual contact with a minor. The girl had a crush on the defendant since grade school. They became friends on Facebook and the girl had initiated More >
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Drug arrests
contributed....Reginald Townsend
Two out-of-state men were arrested in Vernon County for trafficking crack cocaine. Sheriff John Spears said, “Following a 4-month investigation, 25-year old Ray Roberson of Chicago and 18-year old Reginald Townsend of Rochester, Minnesota, were arrested Tuesday for selling crack cocaine in the Stoddard area. Both men are being held in the Vernon County jail pending a bond hearing Thursday, June 6th, 2013.
contributed....Ray Roberson
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JC Boating Safety Classes
Juneau County Sheriff’s Office will be offering a boating safety class at the Juneau County Justice Center in Mauston towards the end of the month. The safety classes will be offered Wednesday, June 26, Thursday, June 27th, and Friday evening, June 28, 2013, from 6pm until 9pm. The cost is $10 per student. Call head to the Sheriff’s Office at 847-5649 and leave a voice message for Deputy Jake Holsclaw regarding obtaining a DNR number prior to class time. The deputy will contact all the students prior to class for additional information. The boat safety class is recommended for ages 12 and over. The first 20-students will be accepted.
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Slashing tires using a machete
A Milwaukee man was arrested for slashing tires in the City of Mauston Tuesday afternoon. Police said a Mauston officer was returning from Reedsburg and the other officer was on another service call, so two Juneau County deputies were dispatched to the parking lot behind Randall’s Uptown Bar to locate the man who was using a machete. A foot pursuit ensued and 26-year old Ezekiel Smith was arrested inside Boberg’s Gas and Go gas station in downtown Mauston on three municipal warrants and placed on a probation and parole hold. He was transported to the Juneau County Jail and tentatively charged with resisting/obstructing an officer, carrying a concealed weapon, and endangering safety.
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Vagrancy
A Mauston man has been charged with vagrancy and disorderly conduct. The deputy said last week 21-year old Ryan Skiff had gone to several homes in the Village of Camp Douglas telling people his wife was in labor at a hospital in La Crosse and he needed money. At one home he didn’t knock, just opened the door, and yelled. Skiff told the deputy he had made up the story about his wife in order to get money to buy cigarettes.
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Roider on trial
A 12-person Juneau County jury heard testimony Wednesday from two doctors in the trial of 30-year old Eric Roider of Milwaukee. Roider is accused of abusing a young boy in July 2011 at a residence in the Town of Necedah. Mile Bluff Medical Center ER doctor Charles Coffey testified a CT Scan revealed bleeding inside the head. The jury was also able to ask questions by writing them on paper. One juror asked Dr. Coffey where in the head was the bleeding located and he responded in the frontal lobe. After being evaluated by the ER doctor in Mauston, the boy was med-flown to Madison. Pediatric Critical Care Expert witness, Dr. Marlowe Eldridge of UW-Hospital, testified the young boy had genital and head injuries. He was suspicious and contacted Social Services and other experts in child abuse cases. The trial continues Thursday morning.
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Elroy man charged with fraud and ID theft
An Elroy man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for identity theft and wire fraud. 45-year old Timothy Mueller has been charged with eight counts of wire fraud and two counts of identity theft. According to the indictment, Mueller was the owner of businesses involved in the sale of residential windows and doors, known as Advance Home Tech/Custom Creations and later known as Windesign. The indictment alleges Mueller directed his sales representatives to have all customers fill out applications for financing. Mueller had a merchant relationship with GE Money Bank, which would provide qualified customers with GE Money Bank credit cards. Mueller would then allegedly enter false sales on those customer credit cards and the bank would then wire transfer the money associated with the fraudulent sales to an account designated by Mueller. The two counts of identity theft allege he used the identity of another person during the wire transfers.
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Roider in court on Thursday
The prosecution continued calling its witnesses Thursday during the trial of 30-year old Eric Roider. Roider, of Milwaukee, is accused of abusing a 5-year old boy in the care of his girlfriend at a residence in the Town of Necedah in July 2011. Thursday the Juneau County jurors heard testimony from the boy’s mother and the woman she had hired to watch her son while she was at work in Adams. But the day the boy was med-flown to UW-Hospital in Madison with head and genital injuries, the babysitter was shopping in Tomah with her sister and her boyfriend, Roider, was watching the 5-year old boy, their 2-year old daughter, and the babysitter’s niece and nephew. While on the drive back to Necedah, Roider called his girlfriend several times. Once to say the boy had wet through his diaper and wet his pants. His girlfriend testified that Roider had called her to say he had changed the boy’s diaper and had given him a time-out. Roider later called to say the boy was having breathing problems and to have her call 9-1-1. When the woman returned to her home on 18th Avenue in the Town of Necedah a short-time later, she found the boy lying on the master bedroom floor unresponsive. The EMS arrived and transported the boy to the ER in Mauston. He was later med-flown to UW-Hospital in Madison where he stayed for two-weeks. After returning home, the boy received physical therapy three times a week in Adams and also talked with a psychologist. The mother testified the boy is during well today, although he is still shy around men, he is making friends at school. The trial continues Friday.
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Inmate sent narcotic under postage stamp
A Deforest woman has been charged with sending a narcotic to her sister, an inmate in the Juneau County Jail. According to the criminal complaint, during the Spring of 2013 34-year old Staareze Mickleson mailed several letters to her sister, 32-year old Raya Hansen, and allegedly concealed a Suboxone strip underneath the postage stamp. During the investigation Hansen admitted to lifting the stamps from the letters but denied receiving the narcotic. Mickelson admitted sending the letter, but did not know how the Suboxone strip got under the postage stamp. Both women are summoned to appear in court on July 10th, 2013.
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Multiple crimes
A Mauston man has been charged with several crimes this week. 21-year old Ryan Skiff has been charged with sexual assault of a minor, burglary, theft, among other charges. According to the criminal complaint, Skiff allegedly had sexual contact with a minor last fall and then again with a different girl on New Year’s Day. Last week, Skiff allegedly burglarized a residence in the Village of Camp Douglas and stole a laptop computer and a .22-caliber rifle. Skiff admitted selling the items because he needed the money for smokes. The stolen laptop and rifle were recovered.
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Treul’s attorney withdraws bond reduction request
The Mauston man accused of shooting his ex-girlfriend to death last week appeared in court via video conferencing from the Juneau County Jail Thursday afternoon. 30-year old Cody Treul was with his attorney, David Geraghty, before Judge Paul Curran for a motion hearing to modify bond. On Monday, Judge Curran had set bail at a 2-million dollar cash bond. Thursday, Geraghty withdrew the motion for bond modification without giving a reason. Treul allegedly shot 29-year old Gail Howland of Mauston in the early morning hours of Friday, May 31st, 2013 behind PJ’s Bar in downtown Mauston. She was pronounced dead a short time later at Mile Bluff Medical Center. He also allegedly critically injured 23-year old Ebony Lasher of Mauston. Treul’s initial court appearance is scheduled for June 19, 2013 at 9am.
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Bail jumping
An Adams woman was taken into custody for bail jumping. Police said on Tuesday 27-year old Jennifer Torres was a passenger in a vehicle stopped for an equipment violation. Torres was out-on bond with a ‘no contact’ with the driver as condition of bond. Torres was arrested and transported to the Adams County Jail.
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Child abuse
An Adams man was taken into custody for child abuse. Police said last week 39-year old James Scott was arrested at a residence in the 300-block of East State Street in the City of Adams. Following an investigation, Scott was transported to the Adams County Jail and was tentatively charged with battery, physical abuse to More >
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Probation Hold
An Adams man was placed on a probation hold following an altercation with his brother. Police said last Saturday night 33-year old Ronald Stone had allegedly pushed his brother off the porch at their residence in the 200-block of North Oak Street in the City of Adams and also slammed his hand in the car door. Stone was also yelling and swearing in the front yard. He was placed on a probation hold and tentatively charged with disorderly conduct and battery.
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Hayes bound over for trial
A Judge found probable cause and bound a Portage man over for trial in the death of a Mauston woman. Following testimony during the preliminary hearing Tuesday morning, Judge Paul Curran found sufficient evidence had been presented to bind the defendant, 24-year old Andrew Hayes, over for trial. Hayes is charged in the heroin death of 24-year old Samantha Funk in April 2012. UW-Hospital Doctor Michael Stiers testified via telephone that he had performed the autopsy of the deceased and toxicology tests revealed Funk had died of a heroin overdose. A second witness for the prosecution, Justin DiOrio of Mauston, testified he witnessed the defendant take heroin from a clear baggy, place it on a spoon with some water, cook it using a lighter, and inject Funk. She became sick and started to throw up, but she was alert and talking when DiOrio left the apartment. Defense attorney, Dan Berkos, argued DiOrio’s testimony contradicted Dr. Stier’s testimony that she would have died a short time after injection. DiOrio also testified that he had gotten a missed phone call a few hours later and then another phone call saying something was wrong and went back upstairs to Funk’s apartment. Judge Curran commented defense attorney’s argument has merit but found sufficient evidence a felony had been committed and scheduled Hayes’ arraignment for July 9th, 2013.
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Necedah Village-Wide Garage Sale Planned
“The Necedah Village Board Monday night agreed to co-sponsor a Village Wide Garage Sale with Beta Sigma Phi for September 21, 2013,” said Village Administrator Roger Herried. The Necedah businesses are also invited to participate by offering a special discount or promotion for that day. Herried also updated the Board regarding the sorority’s $500 donation More >
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Sale of Kendall school building
The Royall School Board will be holding a Special Meeting towards the end of the month to get district voter approval for the sale of the Kendall building. During a Special Meeting Monday night the Royall School Board agreed to set the Regular June 24th Monthly Meeting also as a Special Meeting so the residents of the Royall School District can vote on approving the sale of the former Kendall school building. “The District had been renting the building but recently evicted the tenant,” said a school official.
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Plans to demolish Mauston landmark
Allied Co-op has plans to remove a downtown Mauston landmark, the grain elevator. Tuesday night the Mauston City Council approved a Resolution authorizing the City’s participation in a Site Assessment Grant program. Mauston City Administrator Nathan Thiel said, “This grant will require no financial support from the City. The SAG program requires that the municipality be the applicant in support of the property owner and the Council must show support by resolution.” Scott Firlus, from the Co-op, told the Council, “The Co-op plans to expand its retail tire shop.” Allied will match the state grant 50/50 and it will use the funds to demolish the old grain elevator and accessory structures on Prairie Street in Mauston.
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Mauston Police Chief asks for more officers
Mauston Police Chief and Office John Nault made a plea before the Mauston City Council Tuesday night for more help in the department. Chief Mark Messer started the conversation reminding the Council the PD has as many officers as it did 38-years ago. And it is still short one officer after the retirement of Lieutenant Michael Jackson at the end of last year. Officer Nault updated members on his day which includes drug and death investigations while being on patrol. Also with the increase of mental health detentions, an officer has to provide security at the hospital while the patient is being treated. The Chief and officer requested one full-time detective to conduct surveillance and undercover drug investigations and conduct death investigations which requires trips to Madison for autopsy and other professional contacts which are required to prosecute criminal behavior. Alderman Dan May referred the request back to the Police and Fire Commission. Alderman Dennis Nielsen agreed with the Chief regarding increased criminal activity in the City, but questioned how to pay for the additional officers. Alderman Floyd Babcock commented, “The Police Department already takes up half of the City’s budget, what do you want us to do? Let go the Public Works employees?” The issue was basically referred back to the PFC.
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