Crime and Court Roundup: Washington County woman accused of bitting a police officer's arm

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A 41-year-old woman faces possible charges, after she allegedly bit a police officer’s arm in Jackson in Washington County. Police said they were called Monday afternoon to a manufactured home complex, where a man told officers that his girlfriend was trying to drive away while drunk. Officials said the woman left one vehicle and entered another, and ignored police commands to stop. After starting the second vehicle, police said the officer reached inside – and the woman bit the officer’s forearm. Police said they had to restrain the woman after she fought being removed from the vehicle. They later found a suicide note in one unit, and knives in both vehicles. Officials said the woman was taken to a hospital.

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A judge in Sheboygan has ruled that a 76-year-old woman is mentally competent to stand trial for the murder of her baby daughter in 1957. Ruby Klokow was supposed to go on trial in early September – but her lawyer wanted the mental exam to determine if she could help with her own defense. Circuit Judge Angela Sutkiewicz reviewed the doctor’s report before deciding that Klokow is competent. The judge and attorneys on both sides will meet November sixth to set another trial date. Klokow is charged with second degree murder in the death of seven-month-old Jeaneen Klokow 55 years ago. The charge was filed in February of last year, after Klokow’s son James went to police in 2008 with horrific stories of child abuse. Among other things, he said his mother kicked him with steel-toed boots so often, that he still has problems with his knees.

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A man accused of setting a number of fires in northeast Wisconsin used to volunteer to put out those blazes. The Green Bay Press-Gazette says 28-year-old Drew Christensen spent six years on the Brazeau Fire Department, until he was released 18 months ago for missing departmental meetings due to his job. Brazeau Fire Chief John Fetterly said Christensen did not do anything wrong when he served – and he left the department on good terms. On Monday, Christensen was charged with two counts of arson for allegedly starting a garage and a mobile home on fire since last August. Prosecutors said he admitted setting a half-dozen blazes – including one that heavily damaged the Klondike Community Church in March. Officials say charges in that blaze and others are pending, and state Justice investigators are trying to determine if Christensen had anything to do with over three dozen other fires in Oconto and other nearby counties in recent years. Fetterly said he was relieved at first that an arrest was made in some of the blazes – but he later got angry, knowing that a former firefighter could jeopardize lives and put stress on fire suppression efforts. Oconto County Sheriff Mike Jansen said fire-fighters have been known to start blazes.

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A special prosecutor says he might bring in outside medical experts to review the death of Derek Williams. He’s the robbery suspect who died in Milwaukee Police custody 15 months ago, after gasping and begging for help for almost eight minutes while two officers did nothing. The first court hearing was held yesterday on plans for an inquest that will determine whether criminal charges should be sought against the officers. Former Judge John Franke was named by the Milwaukee County district attorney’s office as the special prosecutor. He said he’s approaching the new investigation with an open mind – and while it’s important to move as quickly as possible, it’s even more important to thoroughly examine all the facts. Franke said the medical examiner’s reports have a number of unanswered questions on the death of the 22-year-old Williams – and they all need to be explored. The new inquest was triggered by the recent release of a video showing Williams collapsing in the back seat of a Milwaukee squad car. The video resulted in the medical examiner changing the cause of the man’s death from natural causes to homicide.

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