An argument over an alleged dumping of garbage on a property Wednesday in Caledonia led to a number of criminal charges filed Thursday against a 37-year-old Franksville man.
Kurt J. Goetzke is charged by the Racine County District Attorney’s Office with a felony count of second-degree recklessly endangering safety as a hate crime and misdemeanor counts of possession of a firearm while intoxicated, disorderly conduct with the use of a dangerous weapon and three counts of bail jumping with the use of a dangerous weapon.
The felony charge carries a fine of $25,000 and 10 years in prison. The misdemeanors carry a total fine of $41,000 and three years, three months in county jail.
According to the criminal complaint:
Officers with the Caledonia Police Department met with a man who was mowing the lawn of a foreclosed property when he was approached by the defendant, who accused him of dumping garbage on the property. The victim told the defendant that he works for a bank and had been assigned to mow the grass.
Goetzke approached the victim, pulled out a firearm and pointed the gun his chest. A witness saw a small red mark appear on his chest. The witness told the defendant police were on the way and that Goetzke had “cooled off” and tried to shake the victim’s hand before he left.
Police spoke with the defendant at his residence, and he admitted to pulled the weapon. Police found a .40 Glock with a red laser aiming device and numerous rounds of ammunition. The defendant smelled of intoxicants and registered a 0.155 blood alcohol content.
Court records indicate that Goetzke is free on bond in a separate case. One of the conditions is that he refrain from committing new crimes, which led to the bail-jumping charges.
Goetzke is due back in court at 9 a.m. July 5.
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