By Shereen Siewert
A 49-year-old Green Bay man accused of beating, tying up and kidnapping a woman, forcing her into his truck, then fleeing from police in a chase that ended in Wausau was convicted Wednesday on several charges after withdrawing his insanity plea.
Brian Storzer faced charges of kidnapping, false imprisonment, second-degree recklessly endangering safety, fleeing an officer and battery in a case filed Aug. 20 in Marathon County Circuit Court.
In December, Storzer entered an insanity plea, referred to as an NGI, and will underwent a psychiatric evaluation. But during a hearing Wednesday, he withdrew the insanity plea and was convicted on all but the kidnapping and battery charges.
According to reports from the Langlade County Sheriff’s Department, in the afternoon of Aug. 15, Storzer drove to the alleged victim’s home and began arguing with her about their past relationship. Police say he bound the woman’s wrists together with duct tape, took her phone, threw her shoes out of the home and physically attacked her, throwing her into a living room wall.
The woman told police she eventually escaped the home and ran, but Storzer caught her before she could find help and forced her into his truck. Then, according to court documents, Storzer drove to the Wausau area. While he was stopped at a red light on Rib Mountain Drive, the alleged victim escaped the vehicle and ran to a nearby truck, begging for help.
But Storzer allegedly told the men inside the truck that he and the woman had a misunderstanding about money, and the men told the woman she had to leave their vehicle because it was a work truck. That’s when Storzer allegedly grabbed and punched the woman, forced her back into his vehicle and drove to Hwy. 51, where deputies from the Marathon County Sheriff’s Department were actively pursuing him.
Storzer fled, but when he slowed down after hitting a tire deflation device the woman opened the door and jumped out of the moving vehicle to escape. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Court records show Storzer was already facing charges in Langlade County Circuit Court filed July 21 of burglary, attempted arson and criminal trespassing at the same woman’s home. He appeared July 22 in Langlade County and was released on a $10,000 cash bond after being ordered to have no contact with the woman, who is a former girlfriend.
He is also named in a Langlade County case where he faces charges of first degree recklessly endangering safety, possessing a firearm after an out-of state felony conviction and disorderly conduct. In that case, he was freed after posting a $1,000 cash bond.
Circuit Judge Greg Strasser ordered a presentencing investigation be completed by the end of August. A sentencing hearing for Storzer, who remains behind bars on a $250,000 cash bond, is set for Sept. 30.
