Iowa County Sheriff Michael Peterson

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Iowa County Sheriff Michael Peterson

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Providing citizens and visitors of Iowa County with the highest level of professional public safety.

10/28/2026

NATIONAL FIRST RESPONDERS DAY

When someone calls for help, they don't care what uniform shows up. They just need someone to be there. And every single day, that's exactly what our first responders do, not for a thank you, but because they love the community that they serve.

We never know what the next minute will bring. One moment may be routine, and the next we may be responding to someone's worst day.

Every day, our law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS providers, and dispatchers work side by side.

Different uniforms. Different departments. One mission — to be there when our communities need us most.

As Sheriff, I am incredibly proud of our team and the partnerships we have throughout Iowa County and beyond. I've witnessed firsthand the dedication, sacrifices, and teamwork that so often go unnoticed.

To the families behind our first responders — THANK YOU. You sacrifice missed dinners, holidays, family time, and countless hours wondering when your loved one will be home. Your support makes what we do possible.

And to every first responder, I want to leave you with one important reminder.

We spend our lives taking care of others. Please don't forget to take care of yourself.

The calls end, but sometimes what we see and experience stays with us. If you're struggling, please reach out. Asking for help is not weakness, and you never have to face those challenges alone.

We show up for our communities. We need to show up for each other, too.

Whatever the journey brings, WE will get through it TOGETHER.

Thank you to every first responder, volunteer, and family member who makes a difference every single day.

10/26/2026

🚨 Weekly Report: Iowa County 911 Communication Center

📅Reporting Period: October 18, 2026 –October 24, 2026

Over the past week, the Iowa County 911 Communication Center handled 576 calls for service.

Below is a snapshot of the most common incidents our emergency services responded to:

Top Calls for Iowa County:

🚔 Traffic Stops (TSTOP): 84
🔥Controlled Burns: 37
🚑 EMS Calls: 43
🏠 Door / Property Checks: 20
☎️ 911 Misdials: 33
🚨 Traffic Complaints: 22
🚗 Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVA): 13
🐾 Animal Issues: 12
🚗 Motorist Assists: 12
🧍 Welfare Checks: 11
⚠️ Disturbances: 6
🔥 Fire Responses(outside of MVA and EMS assist): 6

Year-to-Date Comparison

📅 2025 YTD Calls: 19,978
📅 2026 YTD Calls (same period): 23,528
➡️ Increase of 3,550 calls compared to this time last year

Jail Activity

7 individuals were booked into the Iowa County Jail this past week for various offenses and holds.

Have a safe week Iowa County,

Sheriff Michael Peterson

10/16/2026

Crash USH 14 near Helena Road

Crash west of Arena on USH 14. Emergency responders responding.

Sheriff Michael Peterson

10/14/2026

IOWA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

PRESS RELEASE — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 13, 2026

Fatal Motorcycle Crash Near Mineral Point — Semi-Truck Operator Taken Into Custody

On Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at approximately 6:08 a.m., the Iowa County Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a crash involving a motorcycle and a semi-truck at the intersection of State Highway 23 and the northbound US Highway 151 Exit 40 ramp in the Town of Mineral Point.

The initial investigation indicates that a semi-truck was traveling northbound on USH 151 and exited at Exit 40. The semi-truck continued through the intersection with State Highway 23, striking a northbound motorcycle that had the right-of-way and was not controlled by a stop sign.

Following the collision, the semi-truck continued northbound, leaving the scene.

Through investigative efforts, deputies were able to obtain video footage from another semi-truck parked along the roadway. The footage provided investigators with a description of the involved semi-truck.

At approximately 11:45 a.m., during the course of the investigation, a Detective Sergeant observed a semi-truck matching the description obtained during the investigation traveling southbound on USH 151. The semi-truck was subsequently stopped near Ridgeway, where deputies continued their investigation.

The semi-truck was identified as a 2022 white Freightliner, operated by Ahmed Mustefa Deneto, 49, of Iowa City, Iowa.

The motorcycle operator has been identified as Bartholomew L. Chabotte, 60, of Mineral Point, Wisconsin, who was operating a black 1992 Harley-Davidson XLH1200 motorcycle.

Emergency personnel immediately began lifesaving measures at the scene. Chabotte was transported to Upland Hills Health, where he was pronounced deceased.

Deneto was taken into custody in connection with the crash and booked into the Iowa County Jail on a felony charge of Hit and Run Involving Death, contrary to Wisconsin Statute § 346.67(1). The case remains under investigation and is subject to review by the Iowa County District Attorney's Office.

The Iowa County Sheriff's Office was assisted by the Mineral Point Police Department, Mineral Point Fire Department, Mineral Point EMS, UW Med Flight, Dodgeville Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin State Crime Lab, Ridgeway Fire Department, Iowa County Highway Shop, Iowa County District Attorney's Office, Al's Towing, Randy's Towing, and Iowa County Coroner Wendell Hamlin.

The crash remains under active investigation by the Iowa County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Wisconsin State Patrol.

I want to sincerely thank all of the emergency responders, dispatchers, law enforcement personnel, assisting agencies, and community members who provided assistance throughout today's tragic incident. Situations like this are never easy, and I appreciate the professionalism, compassion, and cooperation demonstrated by everyone involved.

Our thoughts and deepest condolences remain with the family, friends, and loved ones of Mr. Chabotte during this incredibly difficult time.

Sheriff Michael Peterson
Iowa County Sheriff's Office

Attachment: Booking photograph of Ahmed Mustefa Deneto.

10/13/2026

Exit 40 Closed

Mineral Point, north exit from and to USH 151 is closed for an extended period of time for a serious crash.

Sheriff Michael Peterson

10/06/2026

Over the last couple of months, we have noticed something happening more and more at serious and tragic scenes and it needs to stop.

People are driving through these scenes while passengers hold up their phones, recording what is happening, and then posting those videos on social media.

It may not be illegal for a passenger to record, but that doesn’t make it right.

That person lying alongside the road, inside that vehicle, in a field, in a driveway, or being cared for by first responders is not content.

They are someone’s husband or wife. Dad or mom. Grandpa or grandma. Son or daughter. Brother, sister or friend.

Our first responders take great pride in providing the best care we possibly can while treating victims and their families with dignity, respect and compassion during some of the worst moments of their lives.

Now imagine being in my shoes.

Imagine walking up to a front door knowing that when it opens, you have to tell a husband, wife, parent or child that someone they love is never coming home.

Then imagine that family opening social media and seeing a video of the scene or worse, seeing their loved one recorded by someone driving by.

Plain and simple, stop.

Put the phone down. Give our responders room to work. Give the victim some dignity. Give their family the opportunity to hear the news from us not discover or see their loved ones tragedy on social media.

Before you hit record, remember:

THAT IS NOT A SCENE and THAT IS A PERSON.

Please show them the same compassion you would want shown to your own family if that was you.

10/05/2026

Crash USH 18/151

Rollover crash near CTH K near Barneveld. Expect delays.

Sheriff Michael Peterson

10/03/2026

Our hearts are with Collin’s family, his friends, the Ridgeway community, and his family of first responders.

There really are no words that make a loss like this any easier. Those of us in emergency services know that every difficult call stays with you in some way, but when the person at the center of that call is one of your own, it hits differently. The uniforms and department names may be different, but in moments like these, we are one family.

Thank you to every firefighter, EMT, dispatcher, law enforcement officer, and everyone else who responded last evening. We know many of you were not simply responding to a call, you were responding for a friend, a fellow first responder, and a member of your community.

Please keep Collin’s family, friends, the Ridgeway Fire Department, and everyone who knew and cared about him in your thoughts in the difficult days ahead.

10/02/2026

Crash: Dodgeville USH 151 near MM 46

Emergency services responding to crash. Prepare for possible delays.

Sheriff Michael Peterson

09/29/2026

Expect Delays, STH 130

Slow down and watch for emergency responders as we work to clean up and make repairs from a noninjury crash on STH 130 near Spring Valley Road.

Sheriff Michael Peterson

Address

109 East Leffler Street
Dodgeville, WI
53533

Website

https://www.iowacounty.org/departments/Sheriff

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