By Shereen Siewert
The driver in a Shawano County crash who allegedly pointed a gun at a deputy before being shot said he “wanted to be shot” and “wanted to die,” according to a criminal complaint.
The driver has been identified as Gary A. Cameron, 57, of Gresham. A witness told police he heard a vehicle speed past his home at between 75-90 mph moments before the crash.
Justice officials say Cameron refused to drop his weapon for a deputy who responded to the crash.
Shawano County District Attorney Greg Parker filed charges against Cameron of third-offense drunken driving, operating a firearm while intoxicated, first-degree recklessly endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon and threat to a law enforcement officer by use of a dangerous weapon. Cameron, who was hospitalized after the shooting, is now being held on a cash bond at the Shawano County Jail.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation is spearheading the investigation into the shooting. Shawano County Deputy Brady J. Sinotte, a seven-year veteran of law enforcement, has been named as the officer involved in the incident.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Shawano County deputies responded at about 9:15 p.m. July 1 to a crash on Upper Red Lake Road, north of Gresham, after a 911 call from a witness. Sinotte responded to the scene, discovering a single car crash with one occupant inside the vehicle.
Investigators say Cameron had a gun in his hand when Sinotte approached the vehicle and raised the firearm, pointing it at his own head. That’s when Sinotte fired at Cameron, who was treated for non-life threatening injuries at a local hospital and released.
At the hospital, Cameron allegedly refused a blood draw to test for alcohol in his system. A blood draw was performed after officers obtained a warrant, according to the criminal complaint. Those results are pending.
No law enforcement officers were injured. DCI is reviewing the case and will turn over investigative reports to the Shawano County District Attorney when the investigation concludes.
