Beaver Dam Man Sentenced To Prison For Headbutting Police

(Beaver Dam) A Beaver Dam man was sentenced Thursday to three-and-a-half years in prison for headbutting two officers while being arrested for Operating While Intoxicated. Jessie Garcia entered a no contest plea in July to felony Battery To Law Enforcement and Resisting an Officer causing Substantial Bodily Harm and had a misdemeanor count of Operating While Revoked dismissed but read into the record.

The incident occurred in September of last year after Beaver Dam Police conducted a traffic stop as the 27-year-old entered the city. Officers had received information about an intoxicated driver coming from Watertown that had been traveling at a high rate of speed, blowing through stop signs.

During the traffic stop Garcia was uncooperative, attempting to put the car in reverse and at one point reaching for knife. Officers had to break a window to forcibly remove him from the vehicle. While he was being placed in the squad car, Garcia headbutted two police officers.

A Department of Corrections investigation resulted in a recommendation probation while District Attorney Kurt Klomberg called that “outrageous” in seeking five years. Klomberg said “the courts need to act to send a clear message that threatening or harming an officer will result in stern and serious punishment.”

Judge De Vries, while handing down the sentence, said “probation would unduly depreciate the seriousness of the offense.” In addition to three-and-a-half years in prison, Garcia was also sentenced to eight years of extended supervision.