OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A felony charge has been added for one woman for a disturbance at Merrill Middle School, and five others now faces charges for the Jan. 11 incident.
Charlotte Fletcher had pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct, with a May 23 trial date set. However, prosecutors filed a new criminal complaint this week, adding a felony charge of battery to a school district official. An initial appearance is scheduled for April 17.
Additionally, misdemeanor disorderly conduct and resisting/obstruction were filed against Demeatress Wheeler, London West, Ciara Fletcher, and Ezra Fletcher. Curtiss Harris faces a disorderly conduct charge. All are scheduled to appear in court April 18.
The group allegedly forced their way into the school because they were responding to a 13-year-old being disciplined inside — leading to “chaos” and a fight, according to a criminal complaint. The girl is Charlotte Fletcher’s daughter.
According to the criminal complaint, the 13-year-old was being “non-compliant” with staff. As staff and the school liaison officer responded to that, a group of adults gathered outside the school.
“Officer Flaig approached Door #2 from the outside and observed several adult individuals, who were later identified as family members of (the juvenile). They appeared upset and at various points raised their voices and yelled about the situation. Comments were made from some of the individuals in the group that they wanted to go into the school. Officer Flaig told them they were not going into the school, referencing the fact that they were yelling. Officer Flaig attempted to maintain the peace and asked if they wanted JV1 to come outside. The group responded that they did. During this exchange, there were several discouraging remarks made by the individuals to Officer Flaig and the school. Officer Flaig reports that he believes that some of these remarks were referencing specific staff members. Officer Flaig asked the group if they wanted to talk to one of the staff members about the situation but he did not have much success in reasoning with them, based on their behavior,” the complaint states.
The police wanted to release the girl to the family so they would leave. The teen went to get her cell phone.
“(The girl) backed away from the door and Officer Flaig attempted to close the door as he did not want anyone from the group to get inside the building at this time. However, one of the individuals grabbed the door handle and rapidly pulled the door open. At this point, the entire group that had been gathered in front of the door began filing inside the school building. Officer Flaig attempted to stop them from entering the building, but they began rapidly moving down the hallway. Officer Flaig reports that during this investigation, this group of individuals was ultimately identified as family members or associates of (the girl),” the complaint states.
“Officer Flaig reports that the disturbance inside the school continued to be disruptive as the individuals in the group continued to be loud and boisterous and continued to yell. Officers that were arriving on scene were trying to gain compliance with several of the individuals but they struggled to do so. Some of the individuals were taken into custody at that time. However, Officer Flaig reports that each of the individuals who had entered the school had completely disregarded the multiple directives not to be inside the school and that ultimately they were all arrested for Disorderly Conduct, at a minimum,” the complaint states.
“Officer MacDonald reports that they made it into the entry near Door #2 and all chaos ensued. Several adults and juveniles began to physically fight with each other,” the complaint states.
As for the girl, she “crawled through what could be described as a service window by the main office while her family had been outside the building. Further, the school had been put on another hold after the initial hold. Further, some students from the building had been evacuated and gone to Oaklawn Elementary approximately one mile from the school. Officer Flaig also reports that because of this disturbance several parents of other students had shown up at the school angry and upset, wanting to pick up their child early. Some of these parents were yelling at officers and creating a further disruption. Officer Flaig reports that because of this disturbance school release was also ultimately delayed,” the complaint states.
