The search for a man with multiple warrants near Horicon has been suspended, according to the Horicon Police Department.
Horicon Police and Dodge County Sheriff's authorities were searching for 35-year-old Richard Erdmann since the early afternoon near a Horicon Marsh. The initial search was unsuccessful.
Dodge County Sheriffs were initially trying to get in contact with Erdmann when he was at Royal Oaks Motel in the Township of Hubbard. He fled to a nearby marsh. The marsh was extremely thick and presented numerous safety problems to the authorities pursuing Erdmann. The Department of Natural Resources Conservation Unit was sent to assist and officers changed into camouflage tactical gear to try and blend in with the surroundings and avoid ambush.
"It's wet," Sheriff Dale Schmidt with the Dodge County Sheriff's Department said. "It's tall. There is a lot of marsh in there. It's hard to see. It's very tiring for staff to be walking around out there. At the same time, it's hidden. It's very hard to see what's coming up in front of you. You have to make sure you're not putting your troops in an ambush situation which was forefront on my mind. Making sure all of my staff made it home at the end of the day."
Officials tried using drones to find him but couldn't find him. The State Patrol had an airplane ready to assist, but a media outlet's helicopter prevented it from getting involved.
"The State Patrol had to pull out," Schmidt said. "It's unfortunate we had to send that resource back."
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Authorities said that they do not believe he presents a danger to the public. However, earlier in the day, it was a frightening sight to residents in the area to see officers in camouflage, with heavy weapons walking around their neighborhood.
"This is Horicon," Judy Pfalzgraf of Horicon said. "Little Horicon. These things don't happen here. You watch these things on TV and you just don't think it's going to happen here."
Pfalzgraf's home backs up to the marsh. She was very surprised to see an officer posted up against a tree in her backyard with his long gun ready to go.
"I heard a lot of yelling," Pfalzgraf said. "I didn't look out the window right away but when I did, I saw two police officers. One for sure was down in the back and chased some guy into the marsh."
According to officials, Erdmann's felonies include theft from a business setting between $2,500-$5,000, Contempt of Court and Failure to Appear. He allegedly took nearly $5,000 in an apparent roofing scheme.
"We wanted to take this person into custody due to the fact he has three felony warrants," Schmidt said. "No serious felonies like that but they're felony offenses and any time they're felony offenses, we always take them seriously."
If you have any information his whereabouts you are urged to call Dodge County Sheriff's Office at (920) 386-3726.
