High cash bonds set as Hodag Park shooting, chase suspects appear in court

Three suspects arrested in connection with a shooting incident and high-speed chase in Rhinelander Friday afternoon made initial court appearances Tuesday, with Judge Michael Schiek setting a combined $650,000 in cash bonds before formal criminal complaints have been filed.

Stewie James Daniels, 18, of Rhinelander, Isaiah Ezekiel Matthew Hammer, 18, of Crandon, and Darius A. Polar, 17, who described himself as homeless, each appeared before the court for what are known as Riverside hearings — proceedings held when a criminal referral has been made but charges have not yet been formally filed. The Oneida County District Attorney's office is still gathering reports and analyzing the case, according to statements made in court.

Schiek set bond at $150,000 cash for Daniels, the alleged driver of the vehicle; $350,000 cash for Hammer, identified as the front passenger; and $150,000 cash for Polar, the rear passenger. All three were ordered to have no contact with each other or with a fourth individual, a female who was arrested with the group.

The incident began around 1:45 p.m. Friday, May 22, when shots were reported at Hodag Park near the boat landing and baseball fields. According to Oneida County district attorney Jillian Pfeifer, the three males were shooting firearms over Boom Lake. The park was busy at the time —  the boat landing area was active and a grand opening ceremony for the new splash pad was taking place on the other side of the park.

After the shooting, the group got into a red Chevy Cruze and law enforcement attempted a traffic stop, triggering a pursuit that wound through the city at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. According to a Rhinelander Police Department press release, the chase had to be terminated multiple times due to the danger posed to the public before officers were ultimately able to stop the vehicle using a PIT maneuver on Highway 8 East near Beaver Creek Road.

During the pursuit, according to prosecutors, a firearm was pointed out of the vehicle's window at a squad car driven by Rhinelander Police Captain Chad Brown. Whether rounds were actually fired at officers remains part of the ongoing investigation.

Daniels, described in court as a senior at Rhinelander High School, has no prior criminal history. Despite that, Schiek  agreed with Pfeifer that the conduct was highly aggravated, citing the daytime shooting in a busy park and the triple-digit speeds through city streets. Daniels faces potential charges including recklessly endangering safety, fleeing and eluding, and a firearm-related violation.

Hammer, also 18, has a significant criminal record including a prior firearm possession conviction, two convictions for operating a vehicle without the owner's consent, a fleeing conviction, and a possession charge — with probation ongoing in several of those cases, Pfeifer told the court. Polar, 17, also has a prior record despite his age, including a conviction for operating a vehicle without consent and multiple pending cases in other counties involving charges of assault by a prisoner, arson, recklessly endangering safety, resisting or obstructing an officer, and criminal damage to property. (In the Wisconsin criminal justice system, 17-year-olds are considered adults). All three are scheduled to return to court Friday, May 29. The fourth suspect, an 18-year-old female, was taken into custody at the scene of the traffic stop, however it was not immediately clear whether she will face charges.