MONROE — Charges have been upgraded against a veteran who allegedly fired a gun indiscriminately while drunk near New Glarus last spring and prompted a police search for him near his rural property.

The ordeal began just before 7 p.m., Wednesday May 17, 2023. That’s when The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a Veteran At Risk Green Alert for Paul Michael Anderson, 35.

While playing with a rifle outside a makeshift “fort” built by kids on the property, he reportedly fired a gun at one victim while drinking heavily, before disappearing into nearby woods. A major search ensued.

Police cautioned the public to ‘shelter in place’ for a time while they looked for the suspect: “Deputies have worked throughout the night in conducting searches, processing evidence and conducting numerous interviews in response to an incident on Hay Hollow Rd. in York Township, first called in at 6:55 p.m. Wednesday night.”

The new charges, according to District Attorney Craig Nolen, include possession of a firearm while intoxicated and recklessly endangering safety. Those charges are related to when he allegedly picked up children at New Glarus Middle School and drove them home in a reckless manner on May 17. He reportedly also fired a gun May 10th in a bid, he reportedly told police, to scare a man fishing in a nearby creek.

Anderson faces numerous other charges from the standoff incident, including disorderly conduct, reckless and pointing a firearm at another. On the day police began looking for him, he also reportedly fired the Winchester .30 caliber rifle 10 to 15 times. And he allegedly threatened to kill a dog multiple times in the past but never acted on the threat.

“(Victim 1) began describing how Paul will binge drink multiple times a month and when he does that, he will also disappear for multiple days straight,” said the criminal complaint. “She stated that Paul blames his actions on PTSD caused from being deployed to Afghanistan, but she feels he uses this excuse as a crutch…”

Assisting agencies in the search and response included New Glarus Police, Monroe Police, Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office deputies and personnel from the Dane County Sheriff’s Office. 

Shortly after his arrest the day after the initial call, Anderson posted a $50,000 bond. The recklessly endangering safety charge alone is punishable by a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.