(Dodge County) Dodge County Emergency Management Director Amy Nehls reports that in excess of four inches of rain fell over the last 48 hours. The majority fell in a short period, causing significant flash flooding throughout the county and surrounding areas. Nehls says residents should report any damage to their property as a result of the flooding. She encourages taking pictures to document any damage and to contact the insurance company. A detour is still in place north of Theresa to allow the water across Highway 28 to recede. Traffic will be re-routed to Highway 67.
(Waupun) In the wake of heavy rains officials in Waupun are asking homeowners not to have their sump pumps pump into the floor drain in their homes. Doing so contributes to overloading the sewer collection system, which causes sewer backups in homes. They are asking people to discharge the sump pumps outside of their homes, which will minimize the potential for sewer backups. The Waupun Utilities Wastewater Treatment Plant has had high flows with the large rainfall.
(Mayville) The city of Mayville has made an emergency declaration following Tuesday nights severe weather. Mayor Rob Boelk says the flooding has caused the city to expand, commit and exhaust all of its available resources and is asking for county assistance. Boelk also asks Dodge County to advise the state of their condition. He says this is necessary for the health, safety and welfare of Mayville to proclaim that emergency conditions exist.
(Beaver Dam) A Beaver Dam woman charged with vehicular homicide entered a not guilty plea during arraignment yesterday (Wednesday). Cindy Lara-Esparza was reportedly the driver when her vehicle went off Madison Street Bridge and into the Beaver Dam River which resulted in the death of a passenger. Lara-Esparza is also facing an additional felony charge of Homicide by Intoxicated Use of a Vehicle with a Prohibited Alcohol Concentration. Authorities were dispatched to the area near Ryan Cantafio’s Way, behind Park Plaza Pizza, at bar closing time in April. Lara-Esparza sustained non-life-threatening injuries but her 23-year-old boyfriend, Jared Frakes, was killed. Both Lara-Esparza and Frakes were reportedly drinking at Johnny’s Lounge the night of the accident. A blood draw from Lara-Esparza allegedly returned a result of point-two-one-two (.212). If convicted on both charges, the 23-year-old faces no more than 50 years in prison.
(Beaver Dam) The suspect in a police chase that ended with a fiery car crash that knocked a hole in the Beaver Dam Middle School was arraigned yesterday (Wednesday). Roy Cortez entered a not guilty plea to a felony charge of Fleeing. The 22-year-old Beaver Dam man was said to be traveling up to 90-miles-per-hour he struck an electrical transformer before punching a seven-foot-by-30-foot hole in the brick building on August 21st. School officials estimate the damage at well over $500-thousand dollars. If convicted, the felony charge carries a maximum six-year prison sentence.
(Beaver Dam) A Madison man charged with breaking into a Beaver Dam tavern entered a not guilty plea during arraignment yesterday. Momodou Jammeh was reportedly spotted outside the Thirsty Beaver wearing a mask before taking off on foot and jumping into the lake. The 20-year-old was apprehended a couple blocks down Madison Street. Security photos show the suspect inside the establishment holding the cash register. If convicted, Jammeh is facing over 28 years in prison.
(Mayville) A former Mayville police officer accused of having inappropriate contact with a minor entered a not guilty plea during arraignment yesterday. Mark Forster allegedly contacted the victim through Facebook while on-duty asking for the two of them to meet up. The 17-year-old reportedly admitted to an incident in early July of 2016 where the two had sexual contact. An internal investigation into the matter revealed that Forster allegedly used police software to lookup the victim’s personal information. If convicted on all charges, the 30-year-old Forster is facing roughly 49 years in prison.
(Juneau) The Dodge County Clerk’s Office says they found some invalid names on a petition to establish a lake district around Beaver Dam Lake but not enough to put in jeopardy. County Clerk Karen Gibson says since receiving the petition in September they have been verifying the signatures. She says there were several parcels of land that did not have the same name as the 2018 tax roll and could not count them. If the lake district is approved by the count board, it would raise revenue from waterfront property owners to address issues ranging from shoreline erosion to water quality. A public hearing will be held today at the Dodge County Administration Building in Juneau beginning at 5:30pm.
