A Shawano man wanted for bail jumping while out on bond in connection with a shooting incident in the city was back in custody and in court Tuesday for an initial appearance on the new charge.
Authorities allege that Andrew E. Thomas, 28, was involved in a disorderly conduct incident in the city on Jan. 15 in violation of the conditions of his bond.
According to the criminal complaint, Thomas allegedly attacked a 31-year-old man with a baseball bat in the 300 block of West Richmond Street.
An arrest warrant on a felony bail jumping charge was issued last week.
According to a sheriff’s report, Thomas turned himself in at the Shawano County Jail on Monday evening.
Shawano-Menominee County Assistant District Attorney Catharine White noted that the bail jumping incident came the week after Andrews allegedly exchanged gunfire with another man in the city.
“A week later he goes and beats somebody up with a baseball bat,” she told the court. “Mr. Thomas is showing himself to be a real danger to this community.”
White asked the court for a $20,000 cash bond.
Defense attorney Aaron Schenk requested a smaller bond, noting that Thomas had turned himself in.
He also sought to cast doubt on the alleged disorderly conduct incident, calling it “fishy” and “dubious at best,” and noting that the supposed victim in the case has not come forward.
White told the court that the man who was beaten with the bat also had a warrant for his arrest at the time and was not cooperating. However, she said, there were two witnesses to the incident.
Judge James Habeck kept Thomas’ bond at the $11,000 amount he set when the arrest warrant was issued last week.
A preliminary hearing was set for Feb. 12 for this case and the original complaint, in which Thomas is facing charges of reckless endangerment for an alleged exchange of gunfire with Tony J. Brunker, 23, of Shawano, on Jan. 4.
The two men are accused of firing weapons at one another after an altercation at a local bar continued into the 600 block of East Richmond Street.
Brunker pleaded not guilty last week to a felony count of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, and misdemeanor counts of possession of marijuana and operating a firearm while intoxicated.
He posted a $10,000 cash bond and was due back in court for a pre-trial conference March 8.
Thomas faces two counts of recklessly endangering safety, one for for his alleged part in the shooting incident and another for allegedly pointing a handgun at a bartender who was trying to break up the initial disturbance, according to the criminal complaint.
Recklessly endangering safety carries a maximum possible penalty of 12½ years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
In addition to the felony bail jumping charge, which carries a maximum possible penalty of six years in prison and a $10,000 fine, Thomas is charged with a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct with the use of a dangerous weapon.
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