SUSPECT KILLED — Yellow police tape surrounds a grey four-door sedan, suspected as the get-away car in an armed bank robbery. The Exeland Branch of the Dairyland State Bank was robbed last Friday afternoon by two men wearing Halloween masks. A teller — the only person in the bank at the time of the hold-up — is crediting Sawyer County Highway Department Patrolman Dave Dantzman with foiling the get-away. More photos and Dantzman's account of pursuing the robbers in his work truck appear in the Nov. 5 issue of the Ladysmith News.

Exeland bank robbed, officers shoot suspect

Luke Klink

A suspect in an Exeland bank robbery was killed in an exchange of gunfire Friday after leading law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase through two counties.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Conservation Warden Jeremy Peery told dispatchers he was in pursuit at speeds more than 100 mph and the suspect was armed and firing at him.

“A gun. He’s got a gun,” Peery said during the chase. “He’s pointing a gun at me, guys. Shots fired. He’s hit my truck,”

The chase continued on winding gravel roads in the Deer Lake and Blue Hills areas. The Rusk County Sheriff’s Department received a call from Jessica Kirch “advising that her boyfriend called her and told her that he loves her and that he was being chased by the cops. She advised that she could hear sirens in the back ground.” Dispatchers described her as “upset and worried.”

The chase ended on U.S. 8 just west of Bruce. The suspect Rudolf P. Frenzer, 50, of Ingram, was shot and killed after his car collided with two vehicles driven by Rusk County deputies.

According to Sheriff David Kaminski, Rusk County Deputy Jeff Wallace, Rusk County Deputy Riley Kummet and Wisconsin DNR Conservation Warden Jeremy Peery were involved in the exchange of gunfire with the suspect.

Multiple gunshot holes were visible in the suspect’s windshield. Frenzer’s body laid slumped in the front seat.

Suspect shot

Bruce area resident Anne Jenness said she had just gotten home from work as the chase came to an end in her front yard. She said she heard “at least 10, if not more” shots fired.

Jenness said the suspect swerved into the ditch in an effort to get around officers, but the car rammed into a deputy’s SUV. Another deputy following in a squad car then struck the suspect vehicle and pushed it into the SUV, she said.

“The next thing I saw, officers jumped out of their squads and drew their guns. I ran to my house, and then I heard the shots. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop,” Jenness said.

Bruce area resident Ron Wester said he watched Peery crouch behind the SUV for protection. He said he watched as Frenzer was shot.

“I suppose he thought the guy was still going to shoot at him again,” Wester said.

Bank robbery

Frenzer was one of three suspects in the armed robbery of the Exeland Branch of the Dairyland State Bank earlier Friday.

Janet Brown, an employee at the bank for the last 30 years, said two young men wearing Halloween masks entered through the front door and demanded money. She was the only person in the bank. One of the robbers pointed a gun at her.

“The gun was on me the whole time,” Brown said.

Brown was ordered to stay on the ground as the robbers fled with an undisclosed amount of money. The teller said she was trained to lock the bank and stay inside after a hold-up, but she wanted to see the get-away car in hopes that information could help law enforcement.

Brown said she went to the street and saw the robbers running north between the buildings. “I felt safe enough because they were running really fast and didn’t look like they weren’t coming back,” she said.

She motioned to Sawyer County Highway Patrolman David Dantzman, who happened to be passing by. He used the radio in his work truck to report the robbery to the highway department and asked them to call law enforcement. He decided to follow the suspects.

After living his whole life in the Exeland area and working in the area as a highway patrolman for the last 14 years, Dantzman knows the roads in the area.

The chase begins

Dantzman waited for the suspects as they fled up Lincoln Avenue before turning around at its dead end. He followed them out of the village on Wis. 48. He followed them 10 more miles along the state highway and County C to the Deer Lake area and waited as they turned down Gueldner Road — another dead-end. The Birchwood Police Department arrived and began pursuit.

“They apparently didn’t have things planned out,” Dantzman said about the bank robbers.

“Dave ended up buying police more time to find them. He was on the radio the whole time,” Brown said.

Arrests made

Birchwood Police officer Pete Weatherhead pursued the suspect vehicle back to County C and Deer Lake Road. He admitted becoming concerned about continuing the chase down a gravel road in an increasingly remote area.

As the suspect’s car slowed, two passengers jumped out and fled on foot, according to Weatherhead. The area is close to the logging road where law enforcement officers arrested Chai Soua Vang in November 2004, after he shot and killed six deer hunters and wounded two others in a dispute about a tree stand. Weatherhead and Peery were also involved in that incident.

“The area is remote and the chance of getting help is not good,” Weatherhead said.

Weatherhead stopped his squad car and chased the two suspects. “I had to get one of these guys,” he said.

He arrested Steven Ray Willard, Jr., 19, of Phillips.

“I am so thankful no one at the bank, any of the officers or the man from the highway shop got hurt,” Weatherhead said.

The other suspect on foot was soon pursued by K-9 units from Rice Lake and Barron and St. Croix counties.

Frenzer continued driving into Rusk County. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the pursuit leading toward Bruce followed.

“Everyone realized this must be the suspect then,” Ladysmith Police Chief Dean Meyer said.

“During the pursuit, the driver of the suspect vehicle reportedly fired shots at the officers in pursuit,” Kaminski said. “At the crash scene, shots were fired and the suspect was killed.”

One deputy sustained minor injuries, according to Kaminski.

The incident is being investigated by the Barron County Sheriff’s Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, Rusk County Coroner and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation. The investigation is also being coordinated with the Sawyer County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI to determine what connection there might be to the bank robbery in Exeland. The Rusk County EMS ambulance also responded to the shooting scene.

Robert H. McCallie, Jr., 20, of Kennan — the second man who fled on foot — was arrested about 110 miles away Sunday at a home in the City of Rhinelander. He was arrested by officers from the Rhinelander Police Department and the Oneida County Sheriff’s Department. A truck reported stolen from Rusk County shortly after the robbery also was recovered.

Investigation

The two deputies and the conservation warden will remain on paid administrative leave, according to Kaminski. He said the actions were per their departments’ policies until the investigation into the shooting is complete.

Wallace is a 13-year law enforcement veteran, and has been with the Rusk County Sheriff’s Department for eight years. Kummet has worked in law enforcement for five years, and for the Rusk County Sheriff’s Department for three years. Peery has worked in law enforcement for 13 years, and the last 11 as a DNR conservation warden.

Kaminski also requested an independent agency to conduct an impartial review of the officer-involved shooting incident as that is the standard practice. Sheriff’s officials requested the assistance of the Barron County Sheriff’s Department and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation to investigate the shooting while the Wisconsin State Patrol handled the documentation of the crash scene.

Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said the results of his department’s investigation would be turned over to the Rusk County District Attorney’s and Rusk County Sheriff’s Departments when completed.

“We hope our investigation is done in the next week,” Fitzgerald said.

The Rusk County investigation will coincide with the bank robbery investigation that is being conducted by the Sawyer County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI, according to Kaminski.

“Although it might take several weeks for the investigating agencies to complete their final reports, the preliminary information I have reviewed makes it clear that my deputies and Warden Peery acted in an exemplary and courageous manner by placing themselves in harms way to protect the public and apprehend a felony suspect,” Kaminski said. “The initial information shows that the suspect fired on officers several times and the officers had no choice but to take the action they did.”

Kaminski added it is very unfortunate anytime a life was taken, but stressed the suspect had ample opportunity to stop and give himself up.

“Instead, the man chose to lead officers on a high speed pursuit at speeds reported in excess of 100 mph,” Kaminski said. “As the suspect vehicle neared the village of Bruce, officers forced the vehicle to the side of the road in the interest of overall public safety.

Victim

Little information was available about the shooting victim as of this week’s Ladysmith News deadline.

A bartender at an Ingram area bar said Frenzer lives in the village and has a child living in the Catawba area. He noted Frenzer came into the bar a lot a few years ago, but he has not recently done so.

“He was always a nice guy. I had no complaints,” said the bartender, who declined to give his name.

A relative said most of Frenzer’s close family members are dead, and he has a few cousins living in Texas who have not seen him in about a decade. She added Frenzer owned two homes — one in Ingram and one in Kennan— that are likely in default.

The relative called Frenzer “a sweet and charming boy who got caught up in drugs and gambling.”



Second shooting

This is the second time Rusk County deputies have been involved in a shooting death in the last three years. In May 2007, deputies Peter A. Jones and Mark J. Ohmstead shot and killed ValJoe Strong on the night of May 28.

Deputies were dispatched to the Arnold Bar in Ruby Township after Strong crashed his car there.

Chippewa County Coroner Kay Gerritts said Strong was shot four times and died from gunshot wounds.

Afterward, they told Chippewa deputies they thought the rural Ladysmith man was armed. Strong was not armed and a search of his vehicle later turned up no weapon. Deputies were cleared of any wrongdoing.

Court activity

McCallie and Willard both have extensive criminal activity listed on-line at the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access web site at http://wcca.wicourts.gov.

A CCAP search for Frenzer showed multiple traffic-related forfeitures and convictions. It also lists him as a defendant in a foreclosure in April 2009 of a home at W2645 Lawrence Street in Glen Flora.

McCallie also has been convicted of multiple disorderly conduct, driving and underage drinking charges since 2005.

McCallie has been charged in Sawyer County Circuit Court with armed robbery, a class C felony. He made an initial appearance in Sawyer County Circuit Court Tuesday to be advised of his rights/penalties. His initial appearance was adjourned until 8:30 a.m., Monday, Nov. 9.

Willard has been convicted of multiple disorderly conduct, underage drinking and driving charges since 2007. He also was found guilty of misdemeanor theft in 2008.

Willard is being held on probable cause. He has not yet been charged. His initial appearance in Sawyer County Circuit Court is scheduled for 8:30 a.m., Monday, Nov. 30.

McCallie and Willard are each being held in the Sawyer County Jail on a $100,000 cash bond.

Bank robberies

Area banks hold-ups in October included:

— Oct. 8: Alliance Bank in Eau Claire.

— Oct. 9: Associated Bank in Hudson, St. Croix County.

— Oct. 14: Security Bank in Ridgeland, Dunn County.

— Oct. 21: Bremer Bank in Elk Mound, Dunn County.

— Oct. 23: River Bank in Stoddard, Vernon County.

— Oct. 29: Citizens Community Bank in Eau Claire.

— Oct. 30: Dairyland State Bank in Exeland, Sawyer County.

Eau Claire Police Department Chief Deputy Eric Larsen did not believe the Exeland bank robbery and robberies in Eau Claire were connected. He said the physical descriptions of the two Exeland bank robbery suspects in custody and the descriptions of suspects in the Eau Claire robberies are too different.

“We have not found any evidence to link these two suspects to the two robberies in Eau Claire,” Larsen said.