WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Marathon County has settled a civil rights claim from a 2014 incident where the county was accused of excessive force.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that Marathon County has settled for $90,000 with Roger Hoeppner’s over a civil rights claim.
In 2014, the Marathon County Sheriff’s Department brought an armored vehicle to Hoeppner’s home to take him into custody for being in contempt of the county. The show of force made national news at the time as it drew attention to the similar use of excessive force against unarmed men in Furguson Missouri.
Hoeppner, who lives in the Town of Stettin, owed over $80,000 to the county in fines and penalties for his storage and use of pallets and equipment at his home. Officers came to his property and arrested him, taking him to a bank and ordering he withdraw the owed $80,000.
Related: Sheriff defends armored truck use in Stettin incident
This isn’t the first time Hoeppner has sued the county. Last year he sued the county along with the town, the chairman, and sheriff’s officials for violating his 4th and 1st Amendment rights. The case against the county and the deputies were settled in late October 2017.
Attorney Jeff Scott Olson who was representing Hoeppner said a mediator helped the two sides reach the $90,000 settlement. The settlement was reached the same day a federal judge issued her order on the motions. The civil rights claims of violating Hoeppner’s 4th and 1st Amendment rights where the claims she recommended going to a jury.
Hoeppner and his wife still live at their home on Highway 29 and continue to work in pallets and old equipment. There is no longer conflict as the members of the town’s board from 2014 are no longer in office and haven’t been since April of 2015.
