BRODHEAD - Brodhead Police were searching over the weekend for a backpack believed to contain heroin that went missing from an investigation Saturday. It had been located by Monday afternoon as the investigation continues.
When police investigated a disturbance at 5:38 p.m. Saturday in the 500 block of West 2nd Avenue, a citizen reported that a man at the scene, Chad Fernandes, 31, Brodhead, possessed heroin and syringes in a backpack in his vehicle.
According to a criminal complaint, Fernandes called police to report that an acquaintance had punched him in the chest. However, when police questioned Fernandes and the accused, they found Fernandes in a state of agitation.
His wife reported that Fernandes had threatened to throw himself out of a moving car while she drove him home from a detox facility earlier that day. On that same trip, Fernandes told his wife to stop in Fitchburg so he could purchase the narcotic suboxone from a man at a fast-food restaurant. Fernandes' children were reportedly also in the car at the time.
When Fernandes returned to Brodhead, he reportedly became upset at a friend of his wife, eventually shouting threats and insults at her until she shoved him away.
During the police investigation, officers became aware of a black and green backpack in Fernandes' vehicle that reportedly contained heroin, syringes and a spoon. However, when police searched Fernandes' vehicle, they found neither the backpack nor any drugs or paraphernalia.
Officers did find a packet containing the restricted recreational drug kratom in Fernandes' vehicle, which he admitted was his. Fernandes refused to tell police the whereabouts of the backpack.
Fernandes' wife said she saw Fernandes drive north on West 2nd Avenue and turned west onto 5th Street before she lost sight of him. She also said Fernandes never leaves home without the backpack.
Officers, assisted by the Green County Sheriff's K9 Unit, searched the area, including Putnam Park and the Pearl Island Recreational Trail, but were unable to locate the backpack.
Fernandes was arrested for domestic disorderly conduct and possession of a controlled substance.
When police investigated a disturbance at 5:38 p.m. Saturday in the 500 block of West 2nd Avenue, a citizen reported that a man at the scene, Chad Fernandes, 31, Brodhead, possessed heroin and syringes in a backpack in his vehicle.
According to a criminal complaint, Fernandes called police to report that an acquaintance had punched him in the chest. However, when police questioned Fernandes and the accused, they found Fernandes in a state of agitation.
His wife reported that Fernandes had threatened to throw himself out of a moving car while she drove him home from a detox facility earlier that day. On that same trip, Fernandes told his wife to stop in Fitchburg so he could purchase the narcotic suboxone from a man at a fast-food restaurant. Fernandes' children were reportedly also in the car at the time.
When Fernandes returned to Brodhead, he reportedly became upset at a friend of his wife, eventually shouting threats and insults at her until she shoved him away.
During the police investigation, officers became aware of a black and green backpack in Fernandes' vehicle that reportedly contained heroin, syringes and a spoon. However, when police searched Fernandes' vehicle, they found neither the backpack nor any drugs or paraphernalia.
Officers did find a packet containing the restricted recreational drug kratom in Fernandes' vehicle, which he admitted was his. Fernandes refused to tell police the whereabouts of the backpack.
Fernandes' wife said she saw Fernandes drive north on West 2nd Avenue and turned west onto 5th Street before she lost sight of him. She also said Fernandes never leaves home without the backpack.
Officers, assisted by the Green County Sheriff's K9 Unit, searched the area, including Putnam Park and the Pearl Island Recreational Trail, but were unable to locate the backpack.
Fernandes was arrested for domestic disorderly conduct and possession of a controlled substance.