Waupun Lt. facing burglary, theft charges due in court

BURNETT COUNTY (WITI) – Bradley Young, A Wisconsin police lieutenant who led officers on a wild manhunt on August 6th, is due in court Wednesday, March 5th for his plea hearing.

Young has been charged with burglary of a building or dwelling and misdemeanor theft.

Authorities searched for Young, wanted for burglarizing a Green Lake County restaurant and stealing a vehicle.Young was eventually captured in Burnett County.

Officials say it all began Sunday night, August 4th. Just hours after Young finished his shift at the Waupun Police Department, a robbery was reported at the nearby Piggly Wiggly grocery store.

Then, according to police, the Walkers Kollerviller Restaurant in Green Lake County was forcefully entered in the early morning hours of Monday, August 5th. Officials say they were notified by the owners, who were alerted after a detection system sounded.

Upon arrival, officials conducted an exterior search of the building. During that time, they observed Young exit the restaurant and run into a cornfield. A foot chase ensued, and police lost contact with Young.

A perimeter was established and the Green Lake Area Combined Tactical Unit was called out.  Area law enforcement assisted in the perimeter including a search dog from the Fond Du Lac Police Department.

Shortly after daylight, police say a vehicle was located east of the restaurant in a field entrance.

According to officials, at approximately 2:55 p.m. a Green Lake resident, about two miles northwest of the incident, reported that his 1985 Toyota extended cab truck was stolen. Officials later located the stolen 1985 Toyota truck in Barron County, Wisconsin. After locating the vehicle, a high-speed chase ensued — which resulted in a crash.

Following the crash, Young fled the scene on foot.

He is accused of then stealing a second vehicle, before he was finally picked up in Burnett County.

The criminal complaint in the case says Young told officials he had committed various crimes throughout the state and had intended on heading to his uncle’s cabin in Burnett County to take his own life.

However, upon arriving at his uncle’s cabin, he discovered his uncle did not have any firearms, and took a jar of change, a cell phone charger and a bicycle, and headed to a residence on South Lost Lake Road, where he broke in, according to the criminal complaint.

There, he charged his phone and took a rifle and one round of ammunition, with the sole purpose of killing himself, according to the complaint.

Young told officials he had the gun in his mouth with the safety off when he took a call from his mother and spoke with his children. At that time, he decided not to kill himself, according to the criminal complaint.

Young then called 911 and turned himself in.

Young is described as a veteran officer on the small Waupun police force — a man so highly regarded by his coworkers, Deputy Chief Scott Louden could not comprehend a phone call from fellow law enforcement — saying they were on the hunt for Young.