Courier Press

On May 27, at 8:30 p.m., the Prairie du Chien Police Department was notified by the Clayton County Sheriff’s Department about a pursuit in progress involving a motorcycle traveling east on Highway 18 at a high rate of speed.

The motorcycle crossed into Crawford County. Prairie du Chien police officers attempted to conduct a maneuver to direct the motorcycle onto the Highway 18 Bypass and away from the city.

The motorcycle drove around the squad cars in excess of 100 mph and continued east on Iowa Street. Officers continued pursuit. After several minutes, the driver crashed in a drainage ditch on the east side of town.

On Saturday, May 26 at 9:05 a.m., the Crawford County Dispatch Center was notified of a motorcycle crash on County Highway K, two miles north of Prairie du Chien.

Jesse Fowlkes, 28, Independence, Iowa, was driving a 2018 KTM motorcycle north on County K when he lost control. The motorcycle slid 150 feet down the road ejecting Fowlkes into the right ditch.  

Fowlkes was not wearing a helmet and suffered cuts to the head, arms and legs, along with bumps and bruises. He was treated at Crossing Rivers Health and released.

The motorcycle sustained moderate damage and was able to be driven.

Fowlkes was cited for not having a valid motorcycle license.

Assisting at the scene were Tri-State Ambulance, Bridgeport/Prairie du Chien First Responders and Bridgeport Fire Department.

A 35-year-old Wauzeka woman has been charged in Crawford County Circuit Court with one count of possession of methamphetamine, repeater. 

Daphne Bendall faces up to a $10,000 fine and 3.5 years of imprisonment if convicted. 

According to the criminal complaint, a search of Bendall’s bedroom revealed a box containing five syringes, two short, cut-off straws and three small plastic baggies containing meth residue. 

Bendall admitted to the investigator that the syringes and baggies were for the meth she has been using, according to the complaint.

By Rachel Mergen

The Flansburgh family knows the farming business quite well. Alan Flansburgh, his wife Kathy, and their five sons Devin, Derek, Dalton, Dustin and Dylan were educated from a young age on what hard work and ambition can create—a life worth living and a farm beautiful enough to show to the entire county. The family is working now to teach others about the wonders of the farm, as they prepare to host the Crawford County Dairy Breakfast on Saturday, June 2, from 6 to 10 a.m. 

In 1996, Alan and Kathy, already seven years into their marriage, bought the family farm from Alan’s parents. As the only son in his family and with a love for field work, Alan felt a responsibility to carry on the farm. With such a transaction, they became the third generation to cultivate the land they now call their home.