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A 46-year-old woman with no permanent address was charged Friday in La Crosse County Circuit Court after allegedly setting a portable toilet on fire.
Melissa E. Miller faces a felony count of arson of property other than a building. She also faces the same charge in a separate Oct. 28 incident, along with a felony charge of child abuse with intention to cause harm.
According to the criminal complaint, police were called Nov. 4 shortly after 4:30 p.m. to Cameron Park, where video surveillance reportedly showed Miller removing toilet paper from a dispenser inside the portable toilet and placing it on the toilet floor. She then allegedly lit the toilet paper on fire, which caused a large flame to erupt. The complaint says she placed other items on top to keep the fire going.
The complaint says an unidentified bystander confronted Miller and smothered the fire. Miller reportedly sat on a picnic table and remained there until police arrived. The complaint says she showed police the cigarette lighter she used to ignite the fire. The portable toilet sustained significant damage.
It was Miller's second encounter with police in less than a week. Police were called to a La Crosse residence Oct. 29, where a 14-year-old said Miller slapped her in the face and punched her with a closed fist. The complaint says Miller also burned a mattress inside the residence.
Miller was released on a $2,500 signature bond after the Oct. 29 incident. La Crosse County Court Commissioner Kara Burgos ordered a $500 cash bond for the Nov. 4 incident.
Nicholas P. Smith, 36, Osseo, was charged with fourth-offense drunk driving and felon in possession of a firearm. According to the criminal complaint, Smith was pulled over for speeding Oct. 3 on Rose Street in La Crosse, and a preliminary breath test recorded a blood-alcohol content of .082. He is free on a $2,500 signature bond with a no-alcohol provision.
Andre Miksis, 25, La Crosse, was charged with threatening an officer. According to the criminal complaint, Miksis threatened to shoot, punch and kick police officers who arrested him Sept. 29 for second-offense drunk driving. Miksis was released on a $2,000 signature bond with a no-alcohol provision.
Margo E. Prom, 56, La Crosse, has been charged with two separate offenses of burglary to a dwelling. According to the first criminal complaint, Prom entered a town of Onalaska residence March 28 and stole a La Crosse Loggers cap. The second complaint charges that she entered a town of Farmington residence Sept. 27 and stole a can of Twisted Tea. She is free on a $5,000 signature bond.
Frank Aaron Wharton, 51, La Crosse, is accused of failing to register as a sex offender. According to the criminal complaint, Wharton is required to register as a sex offender due to an offense committed in Michigan and hasn't responded to three verification letters since April 2. A warrant for his arrest was issued Sept. 23.
Yousef F. Gilali, 53, no permament address, was charged with operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent. According to the criminal complaint, Gilali stole a maintenance truck parked on Island Street Sept. 26. An employee recognized the truck leaving the scene and followed it to Ranger Drive, where the vehicle was stopped by police. Gilali is being held in the La Crose County Jail on $2,500 cash bond.
Jovan D. McNell, 31, La Crosse, has been charged with causing injury to an officer while resisting arrest. According to the criminal complaint, NcNell repeatedly ignored instructions of officers who responded to a Sept. 24 altercation at a Monitor Street residence. The complaint says an officer sustained a sprained thumb while attempting to subdue McNell. He is being held in the La Crosse County Jail on a $500 cash bond.
Ashley M. Little, 26, La Crosse, has been charged with first-degree recklessly endangering safety. According to the criminal complaint, Little attempted to strike a person with a vehicle during a Sept. 21 altercation in La Crosse. She is free on a $1,500 signature bond.
Bradley M. Schwaegerl, 53, La Crosse, was charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. According to the criminal complaint, police found Schwaegerl with 11.1 grams of methamphetamine packaged in four different plastic bags after a Sept. 21 traffic stop in La Crosse. He was released from the La Crosse County Jail on a $1,500 signature bond.
Dale Simon, 40, Holmen, was charged with strangulation/suffocation. According to the criminal complaint, a woman told police that Simon punched her in the face and choked her for 30 seconds during a Sept. 20 altercation in Holmen. The woman was transported by ambulance to a local hospital but the extent of her injuries was unknown when the police report was filed. Simon was released on a signature bond.
Melanie R. Westurn, 29, La Crosse, was charged with operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent. According to the criminal complaint, Western stole a golf cart from a campground in the town of Medary July 15 and drove it to Houska Park. She was released on a $1,500 signature bond.
Lucas A. Delorenzo, 32, no permanent address, was charged with theft of movable property. According to the criminal complaint, DeLorezno entered a vehicle parked on 4th Street South in La Crosse Aug. 2 and stole several thousand dollars worth of military gear. The property was recovered two days later at Houska Park. Delorenzo was released on a $1,000 signature bond.
Michael Vandenbergh, 26, La Crosse, was charged with possession of a stolen firearm. According to the criminal complaint, Vandenbergh ditched a .9 mm handgun while police were pursuing him as a suspect in a separate burglary case. Police recovered the weapon and determined it was stolen in Richland County. He is being held in the La Crosse County Jail on $5,000 cash bond.
Dariyah K. Engram, 23, La Crosse, was charged with burglary to a dwelling. According to the criminal complaint, Engram forced his way into a Jackson Street apartment in La Crosse Aug. 23 and stole $500. He was issued a $1,000 signature bond but remains in the La Crosse County Jail on a probation hold.
Travis S. McLaurin, 39, La Crosse, was charged with child abuse/intentionally causing bodily harm. According to the criminal complaint, a teen-age girl told La Crosse police that McLaurin struck her in the face at least four times before grabbing hold of her sweatshirt and slamming her head against a car during a Sept. 7 incident. McLaurin was released on a $5,000 signature bond with a no-alcohol provision and no unsupervised contact with the girl.
Teresa L. Cheever, 46, Trempealeau, was charged with fourth offense drunk driving. According to the criminal complaint, police identified Cheever as a suspect in a hit-and-run crash Aug. 14 at Coulee Golf Bowl and pulled her over a short time later. Police detected multiple clues of intoxication during a field sobriety test, and a preliminary breath test recorded a blood-alcohol level of .20. She is free on a cash bond.
Michael Vandenbergh, 26, La Crosse, was charged with possession of a stolen firearm. According to the criminal complaint, Vandenbergh ditched a .9 mm handgun while police were pursuing him as a suspect in a separate burglary case. Police recovered the weapon and determined it was stolen in Richland County. He is being held in the La Crosse County Jail on $5,000 cash bond.
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Steve Rundio is editor of the Tomah Journal. Contact him at 608-374-7785.
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