Bryan R. Fleck, 34, Fremont, was charged with second-degree reckless endangerment, failure to obey a traffic officer, two counts of resisting an officer and disorderly conduct.
On the afternoon of Aug. 24, the town chairwoman of Caledonia called the Waupaca County Sheriff’s Department to report that manure had been spilled and was causing a traffic hazard on Guhl Road. She said she believed Fleck was responsible for the manure and asked that an officer speak with him because he had been belligerent in the past.
Deputy Nick Traeger went to Fleck’s farm and told Fleck he needed to clean up the manure on the road. Fleck said he had already cleaned it up, then reportedly began yelling and swearing at Traeger.
Although he pulled out his Taser, Traeger did not deploy it. Instead, he returned to his squad car, pulled out of the driveway onto the side of the road and called for backup, according to the criminal complaint.
While Traeger was waiting for assistance, a truck arrived and made a delivery.
Fleck then got into a tractor with a manure spreader and followed the delivery truck as it exited the driveway.
At that same time, Detective Sgt. John Macadlo was driving down the road toward the farm. The delivery truck pulled to the side of the road to let the squad car by. Fleck’s tractor, however, pulled into the road, causing Macadlo’s vehicle to go into the ditch to avoid a crash, according to the criminal complaint.
The officers followed Fleck’s tractor into a field where they took him into custody.
Fleck faces 10 years in prison if convicted of reckless endangerment.