Latest news with #Pewaukee
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Pewaukee teen beach fight leads to village concerns for the summer
The Brief After a Pewaukee Lake beach brawl, leaders are meeting to try and prevent similar fights from happening again. A Village of Pewaukee police officer broke up one of the fights. Business owners and parkgoers complained to the village about the large crowds, physical games and profane language. PEWAUKEE, Wis. - Last week, teenagers didn't just hit the beach – they hit each other. What we know After a Pewaukee Lake beach brawl, Village of Pewaukee leaders are meeting to try and prevent similar fights from happening again. Cellphone video showed a large crowd gathered at Lakefront Park last week after school was let out for the summer. "The two kids were just kinda wrestling," said Casey O'Brien, a witness. "It was very loud." FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android Village trustee Bob Rohde said warm weather and school letting out made for a chaotic scene. "Everybody was down here. There were multitudes of schools down here," Rohde said. "We want to make sure there's a safe environment down here." A Village of Pewaukee police officer broke up one of the fights. The department has been making extra patrols in the area ever since. The Village of Pewaukee Police Department said no arrests or citations have been issued so far this year. One teen involved in a fight last week told FOX6 News off camera that he was banned from the beach for a day as punishment. Dig deeper Business owners and parkgoers complained to the village about the large crowds, physical games and profane language. "We usually try and keep it positive in our store," said shift lead at The Chocolate Factory, Tina Krueger. "We'll ask them to leave or quiet down before we take any other actions." People also complained about groups not using the crosswalks, putting their safety – and others – at risk. Mother of four, Tina Sanfilippo, believes most teens are good. But she admits their choice of language is not. "This is a place where everyone should feel welcome to come," she said. "There's no reason people can't be respectful when they are here. Maybe there just needs to be some signage up." SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Rohde is helping the village get ready for its biggest night of the year. Between 8-10,000 people are expected around Pewaukee Lake for Fourth of July fireworks. Rohde hopes everyone behaves. "The vast majority of the kids down here were respectful," he said. "There were probably a few who were not." What's next The village is discussing these issues during its board meeting on Tuesday night, June 17. The Source The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Search for Travis Decker; Pewaukee native believed to be spotted
The Brief Washington law enforcement believes they have tracked Travis Decker. The Pewaukee native is suspected of killing his young daughters. Federal agencies are leading the search efforts. PEWAUKEE, Wis. - Law enforcement agencies believe they are on the trail of a Pewaukee native suspected of killing his three children. What we know Travis Decker is accused of killing his three young daughters in Washington State. Authorities in Washington confirmed three girls, ages 5, 8 and 9, were found dead on Monday, June 2. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office received a tip from a hiking party, the sheriff's office announced on Tuesday, June 10. The hikers reported seeing a lone individual in the Enchantments area who appeared "ill-prepared for the conditions" and appeared to be "avoiding others." Tracking teams responded and found a lone, off-trail hiker from a helicopter near Colchuck Lake. The individual reportedly ran from sight as the helicopter passed. Additional resources were called to the area, and K9 units were deployed after teams picked up a trail. The subject was tracked to the Ingalls Creek Trailhead area on Highway 97. What you can do Individuals in the area with cabins or residences in the Blewett Pass/Highway 97 area are urged to report suspicious activity, lock their doors and vehicles and look out for neighbors' property. Those with cameras are asked to check them or submit a tip to the U.S. Marshals tip line with the camera's location for law enforcement review. If Decker is sighted, you are asked to call 911 immediately and not attempt to contact or approach him. Deputies also recently announced a $20,000 cash reward for any information leading to Decker's arrest. Decker lived out of his truck. The vehicle was found, but there is no sign of him. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android Anyone with information is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or USMS Tips. Local perspective Decker graduated from Pewaukee High School. He was a wrestler while attending the school. His brother told FOX6 News Decker graduated in 2010. Investigators say Decker kidnapped his three daughters 5-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Evenlyn and 9-year-old Paityn, who were found dead at the Rock Island Campground outside of Leavenworth, Washington. Investigators say the preliminary cause of death for each was asphyxiation. A GoFundMe to help the children's mother, Whitney, cover expenses and legal costs has surpassed $1 million. The Source Information in this report came from the Chelan County Sheriff's Office, FOX13 and prior FOX6 coverage.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pewaukee bus driver facing additional charges
A Pewaukee bus driver previously charged with sexual assault of a child now faces additional charges related to a second child. Three additional felony charges were filed in Waukesha County Circuit Court May 27 in an amended criminal complaint against Thomas Felser: one count of first-degree child sexual assault — sexual contact with a child younger than 13, and two counts of sexual misconduct by school staff or volunteer. He was originally charged May 16 with one felony count of repeated sexual assault of a child and three felony counts of sexual misconduct by school staff or volunteer. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He remains in Waukesha County Jail on $350,000 bail, according to online court records. The amended complaint is similar to the original complaint, which said a mom went to the location of her child's bus May 13 after noticing on an app that it had not moved for 10 minutes. She discovered Felser and her child sitting close to each other, and Felser said they were just talking about the child's day. Security footage showed Felser and the child sitting next to each other that day, as well as other days. That child told police Felser touched them in their private areas, the complaint said. The amended complaint came about after police reviewed additional security footage from all of Felser's routes from April 2 to May 23, 2025. They discovered Felser had inappropriately touched another child on multiple occasions, the complaint said, listing incidents on April 3, April 7, April 16, April 17, April 28 and May 6. In a May 23 interview with police, a different child said Felser was playing the "monster" game, which involved going to the back of the bus and hiding. The child said Felser was usually the monster. When police asked whether Felser touched them where he wasn't supposed to, the child said they did not know and that they did not want to tell the officer "because it is 'super weird.'" Go Riteway, the bus company that Felser worked for, conducts full background checks for staff, has security cameras on all buses and provides universal training for staff on child abuse and neglect. It also provides GPS tracking, including the Here Comes the Bus app available to parents. The company declined to comment on Felser's case. Felser's attorney, Craig Powell, could not be immediately reached for comment. In a letter to parents, Pewaukee Schools Superintendent Mike Cady shared a link with community resources, which can be accessed at He declined to comment on the case. Anyone with additional information should call Village of Pewaukee Police at 262-446-5070, Cady said in his letter. Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or Follow him on X (Twitter) at @AlecJohnson12. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Pewaukee bus driver facing additional charges
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pewaukee bus driver facing additional charges
A Pewaukee bus driver previously charged with sexual assault of a child now faces additional charges related to a second child. Three additional felony charges were filed in Waukesha County Circuit Court May 27 in an amended criminal complaint against Thomas Felser: one count of first-degree child sexual assault — sexual contact with a child younger than 13, and two counts of sexual misconduct by school staff or volunteer. He was originally charged May 16 with one felony count of repeated sexual assault of a child and three felony counts of sexual misconduct by school staff or volunteer. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He remains in Waukesha County Jail on $350,000 bail, according to online court records. The amended complaint is similar to the original complaint, which said a mom went to the location of her child's bus May 13 after noticing on an app that it had not moved for 10 minutes. She discovered Felser and her child sitting close to each other, and Felser said they were just talking about the child's day. Security footage showed Felser and the child sitting next to each other that day, as well as other days. That child told police Felser touched them in their private areas, the complaint said. The amended complaint came about after police reviewed additional security footage from all of Felser's routes from April 2 to May 23, 2025. They discovered Felser had inappropriately touched another child on multiple occasions, the complaint said, listing incidents on April 3, April 7, April 16, April 17, April 28 and May 6. In a May 23 interview with police, a different child said Felser was playing the "monster" game, which involved going to the back of the bus and hiding. The child said Felser was usually the monster. When police asked whether Felser touched them where he wasn't supposed to, the child said they did not know and that they did not want to tell the officer "because it is 'super weird.'" Go Riteway, the bus company that Felser worked for, conducts full background checks for staff, has security cameras on all buses and provides universal training for staff on child abuse and neglect. It also provides GPS tracking, including the Here Comes the Bus app available to parents. The company declined to comment on Felser's case. Felser's attorney, Craig Powell, could not be immediately reached for comment. In a letter to parents, Pewaukee Schools Superintendent Mike Cady shared a link with community resources, which can be accessed at He declined to comment on the case. Anyone with additional information should call Village of Pewaukee Police at 262-446-5070, Cady said in his letter. Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or Follow him on X (Twitter) at @AlecJohnson12. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Pewaukee bus driver facing additional charges
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Child sexual assault, Pewaukee school bus driver accused
The Brief A Pewaukee school bus driver is charged with the repeated sexual assault of a child. Prosecutors said it happened on his school bus, and the victim is a 6-year-old girl. The Pewaukee School District said he was a teacher for nearly 40 years. PEWAUKEE, Wis. - A Pewaukee school bus driver is charged with the repeated sexual assault of a child. Investigators said it happened on the bus, and he worked with kids for decades. What they're saying Prosecutors charged 62-year-old Thomas Felser with sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl on his school bus multiple times. "He used his position of authority and trust to routinely access and abuse the victim," the prosecutor said. Investigators said Felser gave the girl candy and made her sit on his lap. He allegedly put his hands down her pants when they were alone. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android "The mother had become concerned when she checked the GPS app and saw that the school bus had not moved for about 10 minutes," the prosecutors said. The victim's mother drove to the bus and said she found Felser alone with her daughter. Village of Pewaukee police reviewed bus surveillance video, which prosecutors said captured Felser "repeatedly touching the victim." Prosecutors also said Felser sat with the girl in a row of seats obscured by the school bus's camera. "The victim later participated in a forensic interview where she disclosed the defendant repeatedly touched her on the bus," the prosecutor said. The victim's mother spoke in court and asked that her voice not be used in an effort to protect her daughter's identity. She told the court commissioner: "My daughter, like all children, deserves to grow up feeling safe, valued and protected. But instead, her innocence was ripped away from her in the most horrific way." SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News In addition to repeated sexual assault of a child, Felser is charged with three counts of sexual misconduct by school staff. The court commissioner set his bond at $350,000. He has no prior criminal record. What's next The village of Pewaukee police chief said there are no other victims at this time but encouraged anyone with additional information to come forward to police. Dig deeper The Pewaukee School District said Felser was a teacher at Pewaukee High School and Asa Clark Middle School for 37 years. He retired in 2020 and most recently worked as a summer school teacher in 2024. As of Thursday, Felser's current employer, Go Riteway, placed him on leave. The Source The information in this post was provided by Wisconsin Circuit Court Access as well as the criminal complaint associated with this case.
