Lac La Belle arrest; defendant accused of causing $7K+ damage to squad

LAC LA BELLE, Wis. - A 37-year-old Oconomowoc man is accused of causing significant damage to a Lac La Belle police squad during his arrest on Saturday, April 5. The accused is Phillip Pasholk – and he faces the following criminal counts: 

• Obstructing an officer
• Possession of drug paraphernalia
• Possession of THC
• Felony criminal damage to property

Lac La Belle police tipped off

What we know:

According to the criminal complaint, Lac La Belle police received a tip from Delafield police on Saturday, April 5, that the defendant was at a tavern in the village. Delafield police provided the tip because they knew Pasholk "had a felony warrant out for his arrest," the complaint says. Employees at the tavern confirmed the defendant was at the bar.

Around 11:15 p.m. on Saturday, two officers entered the bar in full uniform and identified themselves as officers. They made contact with the defendant and told him to place his hands behind his back. The complaint says the defendant ignored all commands given to him. The officers were aware the defendant "has a history of violent behavior and for ignoring law enforcement orders." Officers then took the defendant to the ground in an attempt to place him in handcuffs.

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According to the criminal complaint, Pasholk "continued actively resisting by kicking his feet and pulling his hands away from officers." The officers threatened to use a taser if Pasholk did not cooperate, but they managed to secure his hands and handcuff him. The defendant ignored orders to stand up and walk. The officers "were then forced to carry the defendant out of the bar to the parking lot," the complaint says. Once outside, the defendant "continued to actively resist by thrashing his body around, nearly headbutting officers in the process," the complaint says.

After getting Pasholk into a squad, the complaint says the "defendant refused to simply sit in the squad car and instead started kicking the glass windows and spitting on the windows inside the squad car." Pasholk was eventually taken to the Waukesha County jail in the sheriff's department restraint chair and van.

Officers recovered Pasholk's property that was left at the bar. It included a "blue glass smoking pipe with burnt residue in the bowl of the pipe that also had a fresh green leafy substance in it," the complaint says. That substance later tested positive for THC.

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Lac La Belle police took the squad to be repaired after this episode. An estimate provided by the auto body shop for the damage to the rear passenger doors was $7,242.59.

What's next:

Pasholk made his initial appearance in Waukesha County court on Monday, April 7. Cash bond was set at $750.

Pasholk is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on May 16.