Local News

One person sustained injuries in a single motorcycle crash on Sunday afternoon. On Sunday, April 14, 2024, at about 3:23 pm, The Monroe County 911 Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a single motorcycle crash on State Highway 33 near the Town of Portland. The operator, Carl R. Schmidt, was traveling East on State Highway 33 and failed to negotiate a curve. The motorcycle had left the roadway and lost control on the gravel shoulder. The motorcycle and operator both fell
to the gravel and traveled rough 50 yards before coming to a rest.
The operator was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash and sustained serious injuries to head. Carl was treated on scene by Tri-State Ambulance and Gundersen Air was requested. Carl was transported to a local hospital in La Crosse via Gundersen Air. Lanes of traffic were closed for about half hour. Speed is suspected of a being a contributing factor in the traffic crash.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Monroe County 911 Communications Center, Cashton First Responders, Cashton Fire Department, Tri-State Ambulance, Gundersen Air, and Rush Hour Towing.

 Monroe County District Attorney Kevin D. Croninger announced that on April 09, 2024, Monroe County Judge Richard Radcliffe sentenced 46 year old, Jonathan L. Ellenburg, to 42 year term in the Wisconsin State prison system. After completing his 42 year term in the Wisconsin State Prison system, Ellenburg will be supervised for an additional 30 years by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. Ellenburg was convicted by a Monroe County jury in January of 2024 of four charges including, two counts of Repeated Sexual Assault of A Child, and two counts of 1st Degree Sexual Assault of a Child- Sexual Contact or Sexual Intercourse with a Person Under Age of 13. The charges against Ellenburg stem from conduct that occurred between September of 2012 and April of 2018, during which time Ellenburg repeatedly sexually assaulted three different victims. Ellenburg refused to be present during the sentencing.
District Attorney Croninger highlighted the strength and courage of the victims of the case, “Jonathan Ellenburg has been victimizing vulnerable people in our community for a long time, it took immense courage and strength for these victims to not only come forward, but to also come into Court and testify against him. Without the strength and courage of these victims, this result would not have been achieved. Our community is much safer today because of their strength and courage. There are not
words to adequately express the importance of their contribution to not only this case but to the overall safety of our community.”
District Attorney Croninger also praised the Court, “We are grateful to Judge Radcliffe for the sentence he ordered on this matter. Jonathan Ellenburg is a career criminal who has victimized multiple innocent victims during his criminal career. The sentence ordered today helps to ensure that Jonathan Ellenburg will never again victimize members of our community. We are hopeful that knowing that Jonathan Ellenburg will be confined for the next 42 years will give the victims of his horrible crimes some level of relief.” The prosecution of the case was handled by Monroe County District Attorney Kevin Croninger with support and assistance by the staff of the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. The investigation of the case was led by Detective John Brose of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance the Village of Norwalk Chief Dave Jones and Monroe County Human Services.