W A S H B U R N C O U N T Y
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INSIDE
June 3, 2015
Wednesday, June 3, 2015 Vol. 126, No 42 • Shell Lake, Wis.
We e ke nd w atch
• Par for Pets golf scramble @ Spooner • Washburn County Family Festival @ Spooner • Chuck Revak Memorial Kids Fishing Day @ Spooner See calendar on page 6 for details
Spring fawn
75¢
Final step to returning home Page 9
Torch Run is Thursday Page 8 The survival of a newborn fawn is dependent on their ability to remain still and motionless. They are born without any odor so the doe will put them in a safe location and leave so as not to attract any predators. Up to 20 percent of the fawn crop are lost to black bears. — Photo by Larry Samson
Likely murder-suicide in Sawyer County, officials report
Former student returns to teach at SLAC camp
HAYWARD — Evidence points to a family murder-suicide that occurred at a residence near Lake Chetac in Sawyer County according to Sawyer County Chief Deputy Brigette Kornbroke. On Saturday, May 30, local law enforcement agencies responded to a call from a female who reported her son had shot her husband and had set fire to their home. Shortly after dispatch lost contact with the woman and was unable to reach her again. When arriving on the scene, first responders found the residence engulfed by the fire and the body of Eric Werachowski, 41, outside the residence. Preliminarily, Kronborke stated Werachowski died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. After the fire was extinguished two more bodies were found in the home. Officials
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believe them to be Werachowski’s parents, Richard and Marilyn Werachowski. They think Richard died from either the fire or a gunshot wound to his abdomen and that Marilyn succumbed to the fire. The incident remains under investigation by the Sawyer County Sheriff’s Office and the Division of Criminal Investigations. Autopsies will be conducted as part of the investigation. Sawyer and Washburn County deputies were dispatched, along with Birchwood Police, Birchwood Fire and Ambulance and the Sawyer County Special Response Team. The Washburn County Sheriff’s Office received the initial emergency call. — Danielle H. Moe with information form the Sawyer County Sheriff’s Office
Spooner man drives into lake Regional champions for fifth straight year Page 13 BREAKERS
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SHELL LAKE — Howard “Guitar” Luedtke will perform at the Potter’s Shed, 260 Industrial Blvd. in Shell Lake, as part of the Northwoods Blues Festival kickoff on Thursday, June 25. The doors open at 6 p.m. for this free, family-friendly event. Live music will be played from 7-10 p.m. Bring your own chair if you like. Get complete festival details at northwoodsbluesfest.com. - submitted
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This vehicle, driven by Paul Rizzo, Spooner, was submerged in Ellsworth Lake when law enforcement arrived at the accident scene. — Photo courtesy of Washburn County Sheriff’s Office
Danielle H. Moe | Staff writer SPOONER — A 64-year-old Spooner man was arrested for his fifth OWI offense after driving into Ellsworth Lake on Wednesday, May 20. According to the Washburn County Sheriff’s Office, at around 8:28 p.m., Paul Rizzo was northbound on Carlton Road in the Town of Evergreen when he didn’t make a turn and drove
into Ellsworth Lake. Rizzo’s 1998 Lincoln Navigator sank into the lake but Rizzo got out of the vehicle and onto its top. When law enforcement arrived the vehicle was 50 yards into the lake and submerged while Rizzo was at a nearby residence warming up. Rizzo was arrested for his fifth OWI offense when law enforcement found his blood alcohol level was .173. The legal limit is .08.
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