Posted: 12/8/04
Officer faces charges in Wisconsin
by Jane Palen
Managing Editor
Caledonia Police Officer James Stemper, who is currently on administrative leave from his job, will appear in a Buffalo County Courtroom in Alma, Wis., next week to answer charges of obstructing a police officer, a Class A misdemeanor. In addition, Stemper is charged with reckless driving and endangerment.
The charges stem from an incident which occurred September 11 in Winona County, Minnesota and continued into Buffalo County, Wisconsin.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Buffalo County, a Winona police officer pursued two motorcycles across the bridge into Wisconsin. He attempted to stop them for speeding and loud mufflers. He followed them to the parking lot at Georgeís Lounge, Bluff Siding, Wis., where the drivers then fled on foot , leaving their motorcycles at the bar.
One of the drivers, Mitchell Dworschak, 38, was picked up by police in Buffalo County. According to the report, he admitted to driving at speeds in excess of 100 mph. When officers asked him if James Stemper, the registered owner of the other motorcycle, was the other driver, he did not answer. When questioned privately by another officer later, he confirmed that it was Stemper, according to the report. Dworschak was tested for alcohol and registered .07, which is under the legal limit for driving.
According to the report, Stemper contacted authorities to get his motorcycle back, and was told that he needed to give a statement about the events the evening of September 11 in order to retrieve it. The officer, Karl Hoffman, reported that Stemper told him that he was drinking at the 4-Mile House in Winona and let a guy named ěJingle,î who was interested in buying the cycle, take it for a test drive.
Officer Hoffman told Stemper that he did not believe the story. According to the report, Stemper insisted that he would not flee from an officer. Officer Hoffman told Stemper that he needed to write a statement about the events of that evening before he could get his motorcycle back.
When a statement was not received, The Buffalo County attorney filed charges against Stemper November 30 with reckless driving and endangerment, and resisting or obstructing an officer, a Class A misdemeanor.
He is currently on administrative leave from his duties.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com