April 20, 2018 at 5:07 p.m.
Rhinelander man charged with false imprisonment
Alleged victim claims man dressed as a delivery driver forced his way into her home
Rhinelander man charged with false imprisonment
In addition to false imprisonment, Timothy W. Kulhanek, 43, has been charged with burglary of a building or dwelling, a Class F felony, and attempted robbery with use of force, a Class E felony, in connection with the alleged break-in, according to a criminal complaint filed in Vilas County Circuit Court April 12.
If convicted of all charges, Kulhanek faces a maximum of 26 years in prison.
According to the complaint, the Vilas County Dispatch Center received a 9-1-1 call at approximately 12:25 p.m. April 9 from an Arbor Vitae woman reporting that a male dressed in brown had entered her home without permission and demanded money.
When officers arrived on scene, the woman explained that earlier that day a male subject arrived at her residence dressed as a UPS delivery driver. She told police she thought it was odd that she had a delivery as she had not ordered anything recently.
Thinking the package might be flowers, she opened the box while standing in her doorway, she said, adding that the man began to force his way into her home after she discovered the package was empty and had made a comment that someone must be playing a prank on her.
"The male subject forcefully entered the residence after attempting to deliver a package that consisted of nothing but a cardboard box with a black garbage bag inside," the complaint states.
According to the alleged victim, once inside the house the man took her cellphone and told her to show him her safe or he would kill her child.
At that point, the woman explained that she was able to identify the man as a person who had been in her home earlier this year to take photos for her insurance company.
She told police she called the man by name and asked why he was "doing this" but he continued to repeat that he would kill her child if she didn't do as he said.
She then opened the safe and stepped aside, she reported, adding that the man rummaged through the safe and asked her several times "where is the cash, where is the cash?"
After she reiterated that she had no cash in the safe or in her home, the man put his arm around her and said "I'm sorry I had to put you through this, don't tell the police," she reported.
He then left the residence, she said.
After calling a neighbor for assistance, she called police to report the incident, the complaint states.
According to the complaint, the woman was insistent that the man who entered her home was Timothy Kulhanek. Detectives were later able to verify that an insurance company had sent Kulhanek to the woman's house in January to take photos for insurance purposes. The woman said she was certain the person who forced his way into her home was Kulhanek because she took a photo of his ID badge when he came to her house for the insurance call. She was also able to identify him via a photo of him with a group of golfers at the Rhinelander Country Club.
According to online court records, Kulhanek is free on $1,000 cash bail. Conditions of bail include no intoxicants, no taverns and no gaming. He is also prohibited from having any contact with the alleged victim.
Kulhanek is due back in court May 17 for a preliminary hearing.
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