May 22, 2014 at 3:21 p.m.
Bloom grants school's request for restraining order against 'road rage' defendant
Bloom grants school's request for restraining order against 'road rage' defendant
A hearing on whether the restraining order against Michael Schettino should be made permanent will be held May 30 before Judge Michael Bloom.
Schettino, 34, is facing four criminal charges related to the alleged "road rage" incident. One of those charges, possession of firearms on school grounds, is a felony. The other charges, intentionally pointing a firearm at a person, carrying a concealed weapon and disorderly conduct, are misdemeanors.
A preliminary hearing on the charges is scheduled for June 18 in Oneida County Circuit Court.
Minocqua police say they received a call just before 8 a.m. May 16 reporting a motorist had pointed a gun at another vehicle while traveling on U.S. Highway 51.
As a result of the location of the incident, the staff at nearby MHLT Elementary School was advised by authorities to conduct what police said was a preventative lockdown of the school.
Officers found the SUV Schettino had been driving parked at the intersection of Lee Road and Titus Road, near MHLT.
A loaded .40 caliber handgun was recovered from the vehicle.
The MHLT lockdown lasted about five minutes.
District superintendent Dr. James Ellis went to Rhinelander Wednesday to file a petition for a temporary restraining order against Schettino.
"What we're trying to do is not allow him [Schettino] on the school grounds," he said. "This was the guy who drove through Friday and we thought part of the restrictions would be that he not be allowed on school property. Once we discovered he was still allowed on school property, we felt it was in the best interest of the district's staff and students to get an order out there that would prohibit him from coming on school grounds."
Bloom issued the temporary restraining order requiring Schettino to stay at least 100 feet away from school property and to avoid harassing or intimidating school staff.
MHLT's petition for the temporary restraining order and injunction against Schettino alleges that he has harassed school staff in violation of state law.
"During the past two months, (Schettino) has engaged in a course of conduct in which he has repeatedly committed acts which harass and intimidate the faculty and staff at the district and which has caused them to be fearful for their own physical safety," the school's petition alleges.
Schettino entered the MHLT grounds on the morning of May 20 to escort a child to school, according to the petition. At that time, he told a school official that he recently moved to the area and is "having trouble adjusting."
Schettino also said he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the petition.
The school's injunction petition includes, in part, a request for an order requiring Schettino to surrender and not possess a firearm.
Minocqua Police Chief David Jaeger said Schettino could be arrested if he violates the restraining order.
Brian Jopek may be reached at [email protected]. Lakeland Times reporter Jonathan Anderson contributed to this report.
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