DARLINGTON - A Grant County man sentenced to three years in prison and four years on parole for recklessly endangering the safety of a Shullsburg woman had his $25,000 cash bond forfeited in the case after a judge ruled Wednesday that the man broke a condition of his bond.
David Arnold Heisz, 60, Bagley, was found guilty at a jury trial in October in Lafayette County Circuit Court of felony charges of false imprisonment and first-degree recklessly endangering safety and a misdemeanor charge of battery. The jury found him not guilty of kidnapping and attempted first-degree intentional homicide, both felonies.
Shortly after the case was filed in March 2017, the court set cash bond at $250,000. It was amended in June to $25,000. At the time, the state opposed lowering the bond, arguing that Heisz was a flight risk. His attorney, John Smerlinkski, countered that Heisz was in poor health and had not yet missed a hearing.
On July 7, Heisz's family posted the $25,000 cash bond on his behalf.
On Sept. 26, Heisz was arrested following a traffic stop on an interstate in Pennsylvania. Heisz was traveling alone in a California rental car and told police he was en route to Whitehaven, Pennsylvania.
According to court records, a search of the car produced 2 grams of crystal methamphetamine, six doses of LSD and 10 grams of psilocybin (psychedelic) mushrooms, along with drug paraphernalia.
Heisz was subsequently charged in Wisconsin with felony bail jumping. That case is still pending. A status conference is set for May 16.
Judge Thomas Vale ruled this week that the incident in Pennsylvania violated Heisz's bond and ordered the $25,000 cash bond be forfeited.
Vale also ordered that the guns, ammunition and knives seized from Heisz not be returned to him.
All other property seized from Heisz related to the reckless endangerment case, such as his impounded Cadillac, will be returned, however.
The case stems from an incident the night of March 2, 2017 in the Town of White Oak Springs, according to court records and testimony in court.
Heisz drove to a woman's apartment in Shullsburg, accused her of stealing money from him and demanded she get in his Cadillac. Once in the vehicle, she noticed he was armed and got scared.
Heisz pulled over on a country road, turned off the car lights and asked her, "What are we going to do about this?"
She asked him not to kill her, and when she tried to get out of the Cadillac, Heisz punched her head and ear and then forced her head down to the car's center console, grabbing her by the hair. She was able to kick her way free, get out of the car and take off running.
She said she got about 20 to 25 feet away when she heard a gunshot, called 911 and continued running through a dense forest in pitch-black conditions until she found the road.
David Arnold Heisz, 60, Bagley, was found guilty at a jury trial in October in Lafayette County Circuit Court of felony charges of false imprisonment and first-degree recklessly endangering safety and a misdemeanor charge of battery. The jury found him not guilty of kidnapping and attempted first-degree intentional homicide, both felonies.
Shortly after the case was filed in March 2017, the court set cash bond at $250,000. It was amended in June to $25,000. At the time, the state opposed lowering the bond, arguing that Heisz was a flight risk. His attorney, John Smerlinkski, countered that Heisz was in poor health and had not yet missed a hearing.
On July 7, Heisz's family posted the $25,000 cash bond on his behalf.
On Sept. 26, Heisz was arrested following a traffic stop on an interstate in Pennsylvania. Heisz was traveling alone in a California rental car and told police he was en route to Whitehaven, Pennsylvania.
According to court records, a search of the car produced 2 grams of crystal methamphetamine, six doses of LSD and 10 grams of psilocybin (psychedelic) mushrooms, along with drug paraphernalia.
Heisz was subsequently charged in Wisconsin with felony bail jumping. That case is still pending. A status conference is set for May 16.
Judge Thomas Vale ruled this week that the incident in Pennsylvania violated Heisz's bond and ordered the $25,000 cash bond be forfeited.
Vale also ordered that the guns, ammunition and knives seized from Heisz not be returned to him.
All other property seized from Heisz related to the reckless endangerment case, such as his impounded Cadillac, will be returned, however.
The case stems from an incident the night of March 2, 2017 in the Town of White Oak Springs, according to court records and testimony in court.
Heisz drove to a woman's apartment in Shullsburg, accused her of stealing money from him and demanded she get in his Cadillac. Once in the vehicle, she noticed he was armed and got scared.
Heisz pulled over on a country road, turned off the car lights and asked her, "What are we going to do about this?"
She asked him not to kill her, and when she tried to get out of the Cadillac, Heisz punched her head and ear and then forced her head down to the car's center console, grabbing her by the hair. She was able to kick her way free, get out of the car and take off running.
She said she got about 20 to 25 feet away when she heard a gunshot, called 911 and continued running through a dense forest in pitch-black conditions until she found the road.