Union Grove

Man allegedly beat wife, waved machete at Union Grove home

A Union Grove man charged with beating his wife and wielding a machete during an argument was bound over for trial during a court appearance Oct. 17.

Ronald A. Lemcke, 41, was charged Oct. 8 in Racine County Circuit Court with strangulation and suffocation, two counts of misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct with the use of a dangerous weapon, all with domestic abuse assessments.

According to the criminal complaint, Lemcke and his wife, Shari Barreau-Kostuch, 35, began arguing Oct. 7 at their Union Grove home about a food item that Lemcke didn’t want on his plate and the location of Barreau-Kostuch’s purse. When Barreau-Kostuch took Lemcke’s plate to the kitchen, Lemcke followed her, grabbed her shirt and tore it, but the collar remained around her neck and choked her as Lemcke continued to pull on it, according to the complaint.

Barreau-Kostuch then went to the living room where Lemcke was sitting on a chair, the argument about the purse resumed, and Lemcke got a machete from a shelf in the living room and held it at shoulder height, the complaint contends. Barreau-Kostuch began to record the argument and called for her children because she wanted them to call police, according to the complaint.

The argument resumed and turned physical when Lemcke allegedly grabbed Barreau-Kostuch, wrapped his arm around her neck, pulled her off the sofa and pushed her to the ground, according to the complaint. Lemcke got on top of Barreau-Kostuch, punched her in the side of the head several times and twisted her hand back, the complaint contends.

When Lemcke let his wife go, she went to her 10-year-old daughter’s room to collect their belongings and leave. Lemcke followed her, cornered her in the room and began to shove her and throw things, according to the complaint.

The 10-year-old girl called police, who arrived and noted injuries to Barreau-Kostuch including a lump on her head, abrasions to her ear and red marks on her neck, left arm, right hand and right arm, according to the complaint.

For more court news see the Oct. 19 edition of the Westine Report.

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