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Hedtke charged with attempted rape, burglary

A Weyauwega man is accused of breaking into a home and attempting to rape a teenage girl.

Arnold R. Hedtke, 20, Weyauwega, was charged June 15 with attempted second-degree sexual assault with use of force, burglary, physical abuse of a child, battery, strangulation, auto theft and resisting an officer.

Hedtke has also been charged as a repeat offender. He served two years in state prison after being convicted of auto theft in Shawano County on Jan. 17, 2008. He was convicted in August 2009 of battery while in prison.

On the morning of June 1, Sgt. Gerald Poltrock, with the Weyauwega Police Department, was dispatched to a home on the 300 block of East Main Street. A teenage girl reported that she had been sleeping when she woke up to a man standing in her bedroom. The man allegedly ripped off her covers, then placed his hand over her mouth when she screamed. She said he pushed her back against the bed, a struggle ensued and he fled.

She described the man as wearing a white T-shirt and having a cord or rope over his shoulder. She also said he had a backpack, according to the criminal complaint.

The mother, who had returned from work that morning, found the back door open. A key had been stolen from the glove compartment of the car in late April or early May. And the mother told police that she earlier suspected that a peeping Tom had been prowling in the yard because a stump had been moved on several occasions.

While Poltrock was questioning the family about the incident, dispatch informed him of a reported auto theft that had occurred a short distance away on East Wisconsin Street. A gray 2000 Nissan had been stolen.

Later that same day, Weyauwega police received a call from Hedtke’s stepfather. He said Hedtke cut off his ankle monitoring bracelet and was missing. Hedtke is on three years of extended supervision as part of his 2008 sentence.

Poltrock also received a call from Hedtke’s mother. She reported that two of his friends had been in contact with Hedtke. They were going to Shawano to pick him up and bring him back to Weyauwega.

Poltrock and Waupaca County Sheriff’s Deputy Patrick Gorchals stopped their vehicle as it was entering the Weyauwega area. Gorchals opened the back door, ordered Hedtke out of the vehicle and grabbed him by the arm.

According to the criminal complaint, Hedtke attempted to pull away and Gorchals drew his Taser. Poltrock then reached into the vehicle and pulled Hedtke out.

Police found a backpack in Hedtke’s possession. In the backpack, they reported finding pornography, a white T-shirt, several shoestrings tied together, condoms and a knife with a 4-inch blade.

Hedtke faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of attempted sexual assault and 12 years if convicted of burglary.

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