Motion to reduce Retzlaff’s bond denied

An effort by Ann Retzlaff to lower the $25,000 bond she’s currently in jail on was denied May 2, and a planned preliminary hearing was delayed after Retzlaff revealed she was, once again, without an attorney present.

Retzlaff continued to rail against the court, “objecting to all charges against me,” claiming she’s only making a “special appearance” and that she is appearing “under duress.” After an arrest on May 15, 2021, following a high-speed chase, Retzlaff was charged in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court with fleeing and eluding officers and two counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety, as well as a misdemeanor count of resisting or obstructing an officer. She also faces misdemeanor charges through Menominee County for resisting and failing to stop.

Retzlaff was arrested again April 20 in Wittenberg after skipping two court appearances that ultimately resulted in body-only warrants being issued. Two counts of disorderly conduct and two counts of bail jumping were added to the charges.

Retzlaff claimed she has been unable to secure legal counsel while she is incarcerated in the Shawano County Jail.

“I’m in here,” Retzlaff said. “I don’t have access to a secure line. I can’t make 1-800 numbers out, and I’m not able to use the 411 information line.”

Retzlaff, who owns a campground near Gresham, also claimed she does not have the money to pay the cash bond currently facing her, pointing out that she’d already paid $7,500 in bonds when she was arrested the first time and arrested again in October 2021 after she first missed a court appearance.

“I stash away a little bit of money in the winter so I can pay the bills,” Retzlaff said. “The revenue stops about the middle of October, and it doesn’t start again until springtime. This year, we’re delayed because of the weather.”

She added that she also had to pay a $20,000 mortgage payment April 1, further contributing to her lack of funds.

District Attorney Greg Parker had planned to call deputies to testify at the preliminary hearing, both regarding the initial arrest on state Highway 29 west of Shawano and her most recent arrest at the Harvest restaurant in Wittenberg, but that was delayed due to Retzlaff not having an attorney to speak for her.

“I’ve looked at all of the information in both of these cases,” Parker said. “I’ve looked at the body cameras for the arrest back in May 2021. I’ve reviewed a phone call the defendant had with the Menominee County Sheriff’s Department with the fleeing and obstructing an officer that turned into an eluding in Shawano County.”

Parker said he was not making a motion for it, but he suggested that the issue of Retzlaff’s competency might be explored.

“None of this is making sense,” Parker said. “I’m not sure if the defendant is understanding things, or if she’s just obstinate.”

Parker was opposed to lowering Retzlaff’s bond amount, noting that his office had advocated that the bond originally be between $50,000 and $75,000, due to the defendant’s previous actions of leaving the state for West Virginia and Florida.

Marathon County Circuit Court Judge Mark Moran, who took on the case after Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Judge William Kussel recused himself earlier this year, said he was not convinced that Retzlaff would remain in the state if he lowered the bond amount.

“You don’t recognize that this court has any jurisdictional situation over you,” Moran said. “I’m struggling with the idea of, ‘Will you come back to court?’”

A status conference on Retzlaff’s case is scheduled for 11 a.m. May 9 in Branch 2 at the Shawano County Courthouse.

lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com