Man Who Threatened To Shoot Officer Sentenced On Reduced Charges

BARRON COUNTY -- Rice Lake, WI man Mark Holt has been sentenced on reduced charges for an incident during which he called Barron County Dispatch and threatened to shoot an officer.

DrydenWire.com reported on June 22, 2020, that Barron County Dispatch had received a call from a man stating that “he was going to shoot the first officer he seen”. Dispatch was able to track the call to the area of Indian Mounds Park and the Rice Lake Police Department assisted by the Barron County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to investigate.

Officers located Mark Holt when they arrived at the scene. Holt smelled of intoxicants and had sustained some injuries prior to the arrival of the Officers. Holt refused to cooperate with Officer commands, according to a press release from the Rice Lake Police Department. K9 Chase was deployed and successfully apprehended Holt.

Charges of Class H Felony Battery or Threat to Judge, Prosecutor, or Law Enforcement Officer, Misdemeanor Resist or Obstruct and Officer, and Misdemeanor Unlawful Phone use - Threatens Harm were filed against Holt. A separate case was later filed against Holt in July 2020 charging him with Misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct and Misdemeanor Bail Jumping. Details of that case are not known to DrydenWire.com.

Online circuit court records show that at a recent hearing the Court sentenced Holt on a reduced charge of non-criminal Obstructing an Officer for the first case filed against him. In the second case, Holt was sentenced on a non-criminal charge of Disorderly Conduct. Holt was ordered to pay fines on both convictions due within 60 days. The remaining charges against Holt were dismissed at a hearing in July 2020. Details of the plea agreement were not listed in online court records, but the State advised the Court that the victim’s rights had been complied with.

Pursuant to the direction of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as found in Supreme Court Rule 20:3.6, Trial Publicly, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.