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• Prescott man charged with battery after allegedly hitting 90-year-old
• Barron man charged with 13 counts of forgery

By Jason Schulte, RiverTown Staff

A Prescott man has been charged in Pierce County Circuit Court with battery of an elderly person, a felony that brings a maximum penalty of $10,000 and/or six years prison, if found guilty.

Craig A. Johnson, 54, 616 Hilton St., is accused of striking a 90-year-old man in the face on May 5. His next scheduled court appearance is a 3:15 p.m. May 19 preliminary hearing.

According to the criminal complaint, Prescott police responded to Johnson's address on that day and found the victim sitting in the living room, with his face covered in blood. Johnson was also there, admitted to striking the victim, and was immediately arrested.

When being interviewed, Johnson explained the victim was sitting in a chair in the dining room area, when Johnson hit him with an open hand and knocked him out of the chair and onto the floor. He then hit him one or two more times while he was on the floor. Johnson told police that he believes the number of strikes was about five to 10.

Get more on this story in the May 14 print edition of the Pierce County Herald.

By Jason Schulte, RiverTowns staff

A Barron man was charged Monday in Pierce County Circuit Court with 13 counts of forgery, stemming from a seven-day span last August.

Timothy J. Rubbelke, 36, was also charged with two counts of misdemeanor fraudulent credit card use. Each of the forgery charges carries a maximum penalty of $10,000 and/or six years prison.

Rubbelke is scheduled to make his first court appearance 10 a.m. June 2.

The case started on August 27 when the complaint states, Timothy Henrich of Spring Valley reported his house had been burglarized and that a box of checks was taken.

Earlier that day, the Red Barn Banquet and Auction Hall near Spring Valley alerted Henrich that someone claiming to be his nephew was trying to pass a check from his checking account.

Also that same day, the Team Oil Travel Center alerted the Pierce County Sheriff's Department that another one of Henrich's checks was being passed at their business.

For more please read the May 14 print version of the Pierce County Herald.