By Shereen Siewert
A west-side tavern owner whose establishment has been the subject of multiple weapons complaints could lose his license, after a Wausau Police captain filed an official complaint this month.
Capt. Todd Baeten filed the complaint April 16 against Tim Nawrocki, who owns and operates Roc’s Place, 810 S. Third Ave. Wausau. In his complaint, Baeten alleges that Nawrocki keeps a “disorderly or riotous, indecent or improper house,” an accusation based on Baeten’s personal knowledge and review of city records.
In his complaint, Baeten notes that Roc’s Place has been the subject of five weapons incidents and 15 complaints involving fights either inside the bar or in the parking lot since Jan. 1, 2019. On Feb. 23, rescue crews responded to Roc’s after a woman who was drifting in and out of consciousness was vomiting at the bar, the complaint states.
Baeten also points to a Feb. 20 incident in which Nawrocki and his employees allegedly failed to cooperate with an investigation involving a fight and a handgun, first by failing to report the incident and then omitting about 90 minutes of surveillance video. In that instance, the video was later recovered, revealing a fight and a convicted felon carrying a firearm, according to incident reports. During a March 15 Public Health and Safety Committee meeting, Wausau Police Chief Ben Bliven said the cooperation from the employees in this instance was “very low.” One witness was reluctant to give information out of fear of retribution, Bliven said.
Baeten is now asking the Public Health and Safety Committee to recommend Nawrocki’s license be suspended or revoked. Nawrocki has already come before the committee during a June 15 meeting for a “formal expression of concern.”
Attempts to reach Nawrocki for comment Monday were not successful.
The Public Health and Safety Committee will review Baeten’s complaint this week and could issue a summons commanding Nawrocki to appear for a hearing to show cause why his license should not be revoked or suspended. A meeting is set for 5:15 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 407 Grant St., Wausau. See the full complaint here.
