of Juneau County
The Messenger OUTDOORS FOREVER KIDS DAY VOL 15, NO. 38
LOOK INSIDE FOR YOUR LOCAL NEWS:
Elroy: Page 6 Mauston: Page 4 County: Page 3
New Lisbon: Page 8 Wonewoc: Page 14 Hillsboro: Page 12
Classifieds: Page 16 Legals: Page 17
THE AWARD WINNING OFFICIAL LEGAL NEWSPAPER OF JUNEAU COUNTY THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014
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Man assaults emergency personnel BY EVA MARIE WOYWOD
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ast week the Juneau County District Attorney's office filed multiple charges against a 24 year old Reedsburg man, Kevin L. Helm, for an incident that happened in Lyndon Station and continued on at the Mile Kevin L. Helm Bluff Medical Center's Emergency Room. Helm has been charged with battery to an emergency rescue worker, throwing bodily fluids at a public safety worker, resisting an officer, criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct, and two charges of misdemeanor bail jumping. According to the criminal complaint, the incident occurred on the evening of April 21st when he became combative with Lyndon Station Firefighters at the department's station. While Juneau County Deputy Jay Greeno was in route to the station he was advised that the suspect had punched out a window of a van in the station's parking lot. When the deputy arrived on the scene, a Wisconsin State Trooper was already at the scene. The deputy was advised that Helm became combative when the rescue workers were attempting to provide emergency care to the suspect. Helm had a bump and a laceration on the back of his head. The report goes on to state that he was emanating a strong odor of an intoxicant. Helm attempted to spit blood on law enforcement and emergency personnel. A spit mask had to be placed on Helm. Mauston Ambulance arrived on the scene in Lyndon Station and Helm continued to be combative. He refused to say how he received his injuries and refused to cooperate unless the EMS personnel removed his handcuffs. Due to his combative behavior Deputy Greeno transported Helm to the emergency room in Mauston. Several times, according to the report, Helm told the deputy that if he didn't let him out of the car he would kill him. When arriving at the emergency room, Deputy Greeno met with other law enforcement from the Wisconsin State Patrol, Juneau County Sheriff's Department and Mauston Police Department. Up to this point Helm had not told law enforcement his name nor how he became injured. It was at the hospital when he finally provided the information, including that his injuries were due to a bicycle accident. The criminal report states that Helm also admitted to drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana. When checking Helm's information, law enforcement became aware that he had three active warrants for his arrest in other counties. At the hospital Helm continued to be combative including breaking the spit mask and yelling obscenities. Helm spat blood at the personnel, one time with it landing on the back of a law enforcement officer. He threatened to kill all the law enforcement officers and their families. He also threatened the lives of the medical personnel. See Helm, Page 5
DONATED iPADS Pre-kindergarten students at Mauston's West Side Elementary are the benefactors of some recent fundraising events held by the Westside Elementary P.T.C. Approximately three weeks ago, the two pre-k classrooms each received five iPad Mini tablets. Those tablets are now sporting apps which have a focus on literacy and math skills. Each morning the kids have a chance to use the tablets during an activity period. Until recently, the classes had to wait until a technology cart came to their room once a week for them to take advantage of a similar tablet. Pictured above are Eli Chanke, Jaiden Price, and Alyssa Zilisch who are students in DeAnn Timm's classroom.
Reckless homicide charge dismissed; Hayes to serve one year in county
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BY EVA MARIE WOYWOD
n April 22nd, 25 year old Andrew T. Hayes was sentenced in Juneau County Court by Judge Patrick Taggert to one year of county jail with Huber privileges on a delivery of heroin charge to which Hayes plead no contest. When the case was originally filed in 2012, Hayes was charged with first degree reckless homicide of his girlfriend Samantha Funk. That charge was amended earlier this year by Juneau County District Attorney Michael Solovey and the reckless homicide charge was dismissed. Solovey said that during a preliminary hearing, a pathologist testified that although heroin was a factor in the 2012 death of 24-year-old of Samantha Funk, the initial injection that Hayes allegedly gave her did not cause the death. According to the original criminal complaint on April 12, 2012 Mauston Police Department Officer Richard Lueneburg was dispatched to a residence within city limits on a report of an unresponsive female who would later be identified as 24 year old Samantha Funk. Juneau County Coroner, Kathy Kohutko was later dispatched to the scene. Kohutko arrived on the scene and pronounced Funk dead at 4:40 a.m. The criminal complaint states that a preliminary observation indicated that the death was drug related. The criminal complaint went on to state that officers spoke with Hayes who identified himself as Funk's boyfriend. Hayes is alleged to have reported that he awoke at an unknown time and found his girlfriend not breathing. He then stated he did not know what to do so he called a friend. Together, he reported to officers, they attempted to carry Funk out of the residence to get her to the hospital but were
Andrew T. Hayes unable to. A call then was placed by his friend's girlfriend to 911. The investigation revealed that events leading up to the death included Hayes having gone to Madison to attain and purchase heroin. A witness who went with to Madison stated that hypodermic needles were purchased from a Wisconsin Dells Walgreens, and that "fake pot" was purchased in Baraboo. Judge Taggert ruled that Hayes may serve his sentence outside of Juneau County and in any Wisconsin County jail. He is scheduled to begin his sentence on or before May 10. 2014.