MONROE — A co-defendant in a recent insurance fraud scam, in which a man arranged to have his own boat stolen, is facing new charges for allegedly violating terms of his bail and running over and killing a large dog with an ATV in Illinois.

As a result, Dustin J. Olson, 35, of Monroe, is also charged with felony bail jumping, after initially being charged with felony burglary and theft in the boat case, along with co-defendant Jermiah L. Strese. The 47-year-old Strese arranged to have his own boat stolen, broken up and buried as part of an attempted insurance scam. 

Strese has pleaded no contest and been found guilty of theft charges in Green County Circuit Court. 

Olson was recruited at the last minute to the boat scam, according to the complaint.

“Jeremiah paid a (former employee) $1,000 to do it but (the former employee) failed to follow through,” said a criminal complaint in the boat theft case. 

That is when, authorities allege, he turned to Olson to take the 2002 Bayliner. Olson was eventually caught and charged in January 2024. Olson, who was still in custody during a Nov. 25 hearing on the new charges, has his next appearance in Green County Circuit Court set for Dec. 17.

His new case came to light when a person who posted bond on his behalf — thought to be Olson’s girlfriend — came to Green County seeking the money, after she told authorities that Olson was violating his parole by using illegal drugs and leaving the state. She had posted “significant sums” for Olson’s bond in Green and Lafayette counties, and was concerned he might overdose, according to the complaint.

Green County authorities at that time were also told of an ATV crash investigated by Warren, Ill. police. The May 10 incident occurred at Bellevue and 2nd Street in Warren, where Olson was alleged to be driving the ATV at 70 MPH with no lights, when he hit the more than 100-pound dog, killing it, and throwing him from the ATV. 

His body traveled nearly 160 feet from the point of impact to where he was found severely injured and bleeding in the street, police said. Initially a medical helicopter was cleared to land in Warren for Olson but was waived off to Freeport.

Olson recovered and was re-arrested on Nov. 18, according to the criminal complaint.

Olson has an extensive criminal record and was also previously charged with felony theft of movable property in another incident in Green County for allegedly taking a skid-loader from a residence in the W3700 block of County C in the Town of Mt. Pleasant. 

Olson also has been charged with felony theft in Dane County, and convicted in a 2022 Lafayette County case of felony battery/threat to judge, prosecutor, or law enforcement officer, according to court records.

Meanwhile, as part of an apparent plea agreement last month, Strese was found guilty before Circuit Judge Faun M. Phillipson of obstructing an officer and making fraudulent insurance claims. He was subsequently sentenced to 24 months’ probation, while a 24-month deferred conviction agreement was reached on a felony charge of theft.