By Shereen Siewert
A 29-year-old man who was cuffed and seated in the back of a Rothschild Police squad car is accused of stealing the vehicle after squeezing through a one-foot barrier between the front and back seats.
Jonathan Bishop was already wanted by police on drug charges when he allegedly broke into a home in the 600 block of Lawrence Avenue early Sunday.
Residents called police at about 4:45 a.m. Sunday to report a suspected break-in. When police arrived, they found a vehicle stolen from Wausau earlier in the day parked on the sidewalk with the engine running with no one inside. After spotting an open garage door, officers went to the home, evacuated the residents and went inside to check for a suspect.
Bishop, who was hiding in a bathroom, surrendered with his hands up. But while he was waiting to be transferred to jail and officers were interviewing witnesses, Bishop allegedly took off in the squad car.
Police say Bishop dumped the vehicle at a home on Southridge Drive and fled on foot, but was found with assistance from K-9 officers and taken into custody again.
On Monday, Bishop appeared in Marathon County Circuit Court to face charges of taking and driving a vehicle without the owner’s consent, fleeing an officer, escape-criminal arrest, credit card fraud and criminal trespassing. He was ordered held on a $25,000 cash bond and remains behind bars Tuesday.
A preliminary hearing is set for May 5.
