By Patricia Bogumil
Interim editor
A 19-year-old Waterford man faces charges for allegedly choking a 15-year-old boy into unconsciousness when a verbal dispute turned physical April 9 at a Town of Waterford subdivision park.
According to the criminal complaint filed April 10 in Racine County Court, a
Town of Waterford officer responded about 3:15 p.m. April 9 to a complaint of an assault having occurred earlier that afternoon at Meehan Park, located between Sunset Road and Valley View Lane in the entry to the Waterford Woods subdivision.
The officer interviewed the victim, from Rochester. He said that Austin Roesler, 5110 Riverside Road, Waterford, had confronted him at the park, accusing him of making derogatory comments.
The boy denied doing that. He said that Roesler shoved him several times and he shoved back once. When he ducked the last time Roesler tried to shove him, Roesler grabbed him around the neck, the boy told police.
He said they both then went to the ground and Roesler continued to hold him around the neck with his right arm, choking him until he blacked out.
A witness on scene told police that the victim’s face had turned purple and blue during the incident.
The officer then interviewed Roesler, who reportedly said the victim was pushing him “so I put him to sleep until he calmed down.”
Roesler is charged with felony physical abuse of a child and misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
Both charges carry enhanced sentencing guidelines due to Roesler being a repeat offender with past misdemeanor convictions.
If convicted of both charges, Roesler faces a maximum of $11,000 in fines; 3 years 9 months in prison; or both.
He was scheduled for an April 18 preliminary hearing in Racine County Circuit Court, at which time a judge was expected to decide if there is sufficient evidence to move the matter to trial.
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